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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 116 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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Word bank
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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. rash — hasty
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. mug — a cup
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. tear — to rip
  11. wind — moving air
  12. mug — a face
  13. tear — from crying
  14. bear — the animal
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. vault — a safe
  17. tear — from crying
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. wind — moving air
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. bear — the animal
  24. rash — a series

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