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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. march — music
  3. spell — magic
  4. spring — a coil
  5. bear — the animal
  6. net — in sport
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. fork — in a road
  10. net — for catching
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. spring — of water
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. spell — a short time
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. march — the month
  19. bear — the animal
  20. spring — the season
  21. net — after costs
  22. spell — letters
  23. march — the month
  24. fork — to eat with

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