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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  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. calf — of the leg
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. lean — to bend
  5. roll — a cake
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. lean — thin
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. rash — hasty
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. wake — a trail
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. roll — a list
  16. rash — a series
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. fork — in a road
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. rock — a stone
  22. rock — music
  23. wake — before a funeral
  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