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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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bat — the animal
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. bear — the animal
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. row — a line
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. row — to paddle
  24. calf — a young animal

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