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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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. wound — an injury
  5. can — to be able to
  6. roll — a cake
  7. can — a tin
  8. prune — to trim
  9. lean — to bend
  10. roll — a list
  11. can — a tin
  12. date — the fruit
  13. wound — an injury
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. prune — to trim
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. lean — thin
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. roll — on a roll

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