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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. bear — the animal
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. staff — employees
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. kid — to tease
  10. kid — child
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. prune — to trim
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. staff — employees
  15. bear — the animal
  16. mark — a grade
  17. staff — a stick
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. mark — a trace
  24. prune — to trim

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