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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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. swing — to play on
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. tube — the underground
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stand — to bear
  8. band — a ring
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. band — a music group
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pit — a hole
  17. swing — music
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. swing — in golf
  23. tube — a container
  24. wave — with your hand

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