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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bear — the animal
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. chest — a box
  7. spell — a short time
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. chest — of your body
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. spell — letters
  19. chest — of your body
  20. spell — magic
  21. bear — the animal
  22. fork — in a road
  23. date — the fruit
  24. date — on the calendar

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