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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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. game — a match
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bulb — for light
  5. stock — shares
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. staff — employees
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. staff — employees
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bear — the animal
  12. staff — a stick
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. wound — an injury
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. wound — an injury
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. stock — goods
  22. bear — the animal
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. bulb — for light

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