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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. can — a tin
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rush — hurry
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. cap — of ice
  8. wake — a trail
  9. cap — a lid
  10. can — to be able to
  11. cap — a hat
  12. rock — music
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. branch — a division
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. can — a tin
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. calf — of the leg

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