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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  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. lean — thin
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. wound — an injury
  5. firm — decided
  6. firm — a company
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. object — an aim
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. wound — an injury
  14. object — to protest
  15. perch — the fish
  16. firm — steady
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. rule — government
  19. lean — to bend
  20. craft — boats
  21. rule — a law
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. object — a thing
  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