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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. perch — the fish
  6. roll — a cake
  7. bear — the animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. race — a contest
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. race — the arms race
  16. roll — a list
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. mark — a grade
  20. race — humankind
  21. mark — a trace
  22. dip — to sink
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. calf — a young animal

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