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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. ball — a great time
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. firm — a company
  12. firm — decided
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. ball — a dance
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. wake — a trail
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. fan — a supporter

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