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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. ball — a dance
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. object — a thing
  5. object — to protest
  6. bulb — for light
  7. mug — a face
  8. ball — a great time
  9. bear — the animal
  10. ground — a position
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. object — an aim
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. bulb — for light
  16. ground — crushed
  17. cue — a signal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. cue — a hint
  20. ground — the earth
  21. mug — a cup
  22. mug — to rob
  23. cue — for pool
  24. bulb — of a plant

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