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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. perch — the fish
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. capital — money
  9. ball — a dance
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. firm — steady
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. firm — a company
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. sharp — clever
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. ball — a great time
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — a tin
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. firm — decided
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. capital — a city

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