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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 116 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: deal · calf · sharp · mark · rock · drill · wound · lie

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. mark — a trace
  5. deal — to handle
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. wound — an injury
  9. drill — army training
  10. wound — an injury
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. mark — a grade
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. rock — music
  16. lie — to recline
  17. drill — a practice
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. drill — the tool
  23. sharp — clever
  24. rock — a stone

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