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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.

Make a worksheet

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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. perch — the fish
  3. bear — the animal
  4. pass — a permit
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. pit — in a race
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. sharp — clever
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. pit — a hole
  18. bear — the animal

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