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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 had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bark — to shout
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. wound — an injury
  10. plane — a tool
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. wound — an injury
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. club — for dancing
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. club — a group
  21. mark — a grade
  22. club — for golf
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. bark — of a tree

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