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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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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: object · cold · suit · rush · deal · foot · saw · calf

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. cold — an illness
  3. rush — hurry
  4. saw — the tool
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. suit — in cards
  7. deal — to handle
  8. object — a thing
  9. suit — to fit
  10. object — to protest
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. foot — a measure
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. object — an aim
  17. cold — not warm
  18. suit — clothes
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. foot — the bottom

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