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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: rush · lie · bear · swing · deal · land · rock · calf

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. land — to come down
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. land — ground
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. swing — to play on
  9. deal — to handle
  10. lie — to recline
  11. rush — hurry
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. rock — a stone
  15. swing — music
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. land — a country
  21. rock — music
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. swing — in golf
  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