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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.

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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. pit — in a race
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. pit — a hole
  9. face — to confront
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. face — to point toward
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. plane — a tool
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. face — part of the head
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. coach — a trainer

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