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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 124 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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. deal — to handle
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. mug — a cup
  5. net — for catching
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. net — after costs
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. fall — to drop
  10. spring — of water
  11. spring — a coil
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. mug — a face
  14. fall — to drop
  15. net — in sport
  16. fall — the season
  17. rule — government
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bulb — for light
  20. mug — to rob
  21. rule — a law
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. spring — the season
  24. deal — a big deal

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