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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 116 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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. lean — to bend
  4. field — a subject
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. bank — of a river
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. wake — a trail
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. field — for sport
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. dip — to sink
  17. lean — thin
  18. bank — for money
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. field — farmland
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. bank — for money
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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