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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 120 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 protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. row — to paddle
  3. pass — a permit
  4. bear — the animal
  5. branch — a division
  6. can — a tin
  7. bear — the animal
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. kick — in football
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. scale — size or range
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. scale — in music
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. can — a tin
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. row — a line
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. can — to be able to

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