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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. wake — a trail
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bound — certain
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. cap — a hat
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. bound — obliged
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bound — tied together
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. cap — of ice
  15. firm — steady
  16. firm — decided
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. firm — a company
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. dip — to sink
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. cap — a lid
  24. mouse — 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