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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. face — to point toward
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. saw — the tool
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. prune — to trim
  9. face — to confront
  10. net — for catching
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. net — after costs
  13. field — for sport
  14. face — part of the head
  15. field — farmland
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. field — a subject
  21. net — in sport
  22. prune — to trim
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. saw — the tool

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