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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. cell — in biology
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — for light
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. roll — a cake
  10. rush — hurry
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rock — a stone
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. kid — child
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. rock — music
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. roll — a list
  24. kid — to tease

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