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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. deal — to handle
  5. kick — in football
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. ground — a position
  12. ground — the earth
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. ground — crushed
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. branch — a division

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