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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. cap — a lid
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. band — a music group
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. firm — a company
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. squash — to crush
  14. band — a ring
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. cap — a hat
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. cap — of ice
  23. squash — the sport
  24. firm — decided

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