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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 giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. fine — high quality
  3. bass — the fish
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. fine — all right
  9. fall — the season
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. fall — to drop
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. bass — low music
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bark — to shout
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. fall — to drop
  24. bark — of a tree

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