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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. tube — the underground
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. kid — to tease
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. prune — to trim
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. charge — in control
  12. charge — electricity
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. kid — child
  18. tube — a container
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. prune — to trim
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. charge — a price

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