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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. snap — to click
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. craft — a skill
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. shower — rain
  18. foot — a measure
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. rock — music
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. shower — to wash
  24. craft — boats

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