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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. object — a thing
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. squash — to crush
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. squash — the sport
  13. object — an aim
  14. can — to be able to
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. perch — the fish
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. can — a tin
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. object — to protest

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