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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.

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: deal · calf · lie · row · wave · lean · bat · mug

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. row — a line
  4. bat — the animal
  5. lean — to bend
  6. mug — to rob
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. mug — a face
  13. lie — to recline
  14. lean — thin
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. row — to paddle
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. mug — a cup
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. calf — a young animal
  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