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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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. mark — a trace
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. toast — bread
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. firm — steady
  8. rest — what's left
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. tear — from crying
  11. tear — from crying
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. firm — decided
  15. rest — what's left
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. rest — a break
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. tear — to rip
  20. mark — a grade
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. firm — a company
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. calf — a young 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