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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. present — the time now
  3. rock — a stone
  4. present — there
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. craft — a skill
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. present — a gift
  11. cap — of ice
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. cap — a lid
  15. rock — music
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. cap — a hat
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. craft — boats

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