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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

Word bank: bat · plane · pass · pop · straw · deal · bark · calf

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. pop — to visit
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. bark — to shout
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. pop — music
  15. plane — a tool
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. pop — soda
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pass — a permit
  24. deal — to handle

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