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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. prune — to trim
  5. present — the time now
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. mine — for digging
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. present — there
  11. present — a gift
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. perch — the fish
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. prune — to trim
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. mine — belonging to me

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