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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. branch — a division
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. stand — to bear
  11. craft — boats
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. toast — bread
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. craft — a skill

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