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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bulb — for light
  3. shower — to wash
  4. band — a ring
  5. bulb — for light
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. band — a music group
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. shower — rain
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. firm — steady
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. firm — decided
  19. firm — a company
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. snap — to click
  24. band — a rubber band

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