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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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. court — for sport
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. rock — a stone
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. squash — the sport
  13. sharp — clever
  14. court — of a king
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. court — of law
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. squash — to crush
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. rock — music
  24. coach — a trainer

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