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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. fork — in a road
  3. staff — a stick
  4. pitch — completely
  5. mug — a face
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. mug — a cup
  8. spell — magic
  9. spell — letters
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. kid — child
  18. mug — to rob
  19. staff — employees
  20. spell — a short time
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. kid — to tease
  24. staff — employees

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