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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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. cell — in biology
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. chest — a box
  6. spring — a coil
  7. cell — a phone
  8. spring — of water
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. mug — a cup
  11. chest — of your body
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. pit — in a race
  14. chest — of your body
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pit — a hole
  17. mug — to rob
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. mug — a face
  20. spring — the season
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. patient — a sick person

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