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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 116 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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. drill — a practice
  3. face — to confront
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bulb — for light
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. wind — moving air
  11. drill — army training
  12. drill — the tool
  13. face — part of the head
  14. wind — moving air
  15. face — to point toward
  16. branch — a division
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bulb — for light
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. season — in sport
  24. season — of the year

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