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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. march — the month
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. content — the amount
  7. rest — a break
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — to trim
  10. rest — what's left
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. content — happy
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bear — the animal
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. march — music
  19. bear — the animal
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. march — the month
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. leaves — lets stay

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