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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 protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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. mug — a cup
  4. mug — to rob
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. bear — the animal
  7. perch — the fish
  8. mug — a face
  9. cue — a hint
  10. cue — a signal
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. spring — a coil
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bear — the animal
  17. mate — a friend
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. spring — of water
  20. mate — a partner
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. spring — the season
  23. mate — to breed
  24. cue — for pool

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