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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 116 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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. bear — the animal
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. firm — a company
  6. suit — to fit
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. firm — decided
  10. suit — clothes
  11. suit — in cards
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. branch — a division
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. dip — to sink
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. game — wild animals
  21. bear — the animal
  22. firm — steady
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. game — a match

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