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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. swing — in golf
  7. craft — a skill
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bat — the animal
  10. row — a line
  11. ball — a dance
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. craft — boats
  14. deal — to handle
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. rock — music
  18. swing — music
  19. row — to paddle
  20. swing — to play on
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. deal — an agreement

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com