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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: deal · ground · pop · kick · calf · mug · rash · saw

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. pop — music
  6. rash — a series
  7. ground — crushed
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. mug — a face
  11. saw — the tool
  12. kick — in football
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. ground — a position
  15. pop — to visit
  16. pop — soda
  17. rash — hasty
  18. ground — the earth
  19. mug — a cup
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. saw — the tool
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. mug — to rob

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