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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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. staff — employees
  3. prune — to trim
  4. swing — in golf
  5. swing — music
  6. face — to confront
  7. staff — a stick
  8. face — part of the head
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. rush — hurry
  11. face — to point toward
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. deal — to handle
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. staff — employees
  17. swing — to play on
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. prune — to trim
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. wake — a trail
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. rush — a thrill

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