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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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468
Word bank
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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. present — there
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. present — the time now
  10. bark — to shout
  11. face — to confront
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. face — part of the head
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. face — to point toward
  18. present — a gift

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