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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 protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. firm — a company
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. firm — decided
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. firm — steady
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. craft — a skill
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. wax — to grow
  20. rush — hurry
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. craft — boats
  24. straw — a straw man

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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