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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bark — to shout
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. rock — music
  8. fall — to drop
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. rock — a stone
  12. sharp — clever
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. ball — a great time
  15. fall — the season
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. fall — to drop
  24. ball — a dance

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