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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. can — a tin
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. can — to be able to
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. branch — a division
  11. can — a tin
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. cue — a signal
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. cue — a hint
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. cue — for pool
  21. bear — the animal
  22. perch — the fish
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bear — to put up with

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