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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. track — a song
  4. track — a path
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. present — the time now
  7. object — to protest
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bear — the animal
  11. track — to keep track
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. bear — the animal
  15. perch — the fish
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. present — a gift
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. date — the fruit
  22. present — there
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. object — an aim

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