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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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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. root — the cause
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. chest — a box
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. root — of a plant
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. chest — of your body
  17. chest — of your body
  18. root — of a word

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