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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 had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bound — certain
  3. tube — the underground
  4. bound — obliged
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bound — tied together
  7. track — to keep track
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. track — a path
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. prune — to trim
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. track — a song
  20. prune — to trim
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. tube — a container
  24. saw — the tool

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