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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bear — the animal
  5. band — a music group
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. chest — of your body
  8. spell — magic
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. clip — a video
  12. firm — steady
  13. chest — of your body
  14. firm — decided
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. clip — to cut
  17. band — a ring
  18. spell — letters
  19. bear — the animal
  20. clip — for paper
  21. firm — a company
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. chest — a box
  24. spell — a short time

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