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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 120 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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. net — after costs
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. swing — in golf
  6. deal — to handle
  7. swing — music
  8. rest — a break
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. net — for catching
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. rest — what's left
  13. row — to paddle
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. swing — to play on
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bore — to tire
  19. net — in sport
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. row — a line
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. calf — of the leg

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