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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. date — the fruit
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. firm — steady
  9. march — music
  10. dip — to sink
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. court — of law
  14. march — the month
  15. firm — decided
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. court — for sport
  18. court — of a king
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. march — the month
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. firm — a company

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