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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. firm — a company
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. firm — decided
  16. bark — to shout
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. calf — of the leg

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