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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 protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. march — music
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. deal — to handle
  8. bound — certain
  9. dip — to sink
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. march — the month
  13. bound — obliged
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. row — to paddle
  16. march — the month
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. row — a line
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. bound — tied together
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. deal — a big deal

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