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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. cue — a hint
  4. cue — for pool
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. pop — soda
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. pop — to visit
  16. cue — a signal
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pop — music

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