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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. craft — boats
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. fine — high quality
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. tear — from crying
  15. craft — a skill
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bark — to shout
  20. toast — bread
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. tear — from crying
  23. tear — to rip
  24. calf — of the leg

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