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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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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. tear — to rip
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. row — to paddle
  5. track — to keep track
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. net — after costs
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rule — government
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. track — a song
  13. row — a line
  14. track — a path
  15. tear — from crying
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. tear — from crying
  18. rule — a law
  19. perch — the fish
  20. net — for catching
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. net — in sport

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