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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 120 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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. hand — in cards
  4. cue — a hint
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. chest — a box
  7. hand — help
  8. bear — the animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. cue — for pool
  11. chest — of your body
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. rock — music
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. rock — a stone
  16. bear — the animal
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. drill — the tool
  20. drill — army training
  21. drill — a practice
  22. cue — a signal
  23. chest — of your body
  24. rock — to move gently

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