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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. rash — a series
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. rash — hasty
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. wound — an injury
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. staff — employees
  15. wound — an injury
  16. bear — the animal
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. staff — a stick

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