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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. rock — music
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. wake — a trail
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. rule — government
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. lie — to recline
  11. pitch — completely
  12. rule — a law
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. craft — a skill
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bear — the animal
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. craft — boats

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