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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. firm — a company
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. firm — steady
  5. club — for dancing
  6. current — of water
  7. face — part of the head
  8. face — to point toward
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. current — happening now
  11. mug — a face
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. club — for golf
  14. firm — decided
  15. mark — a grade
  16. club — a group
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. face — to confront
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. mug — a cup
  21. current — electric
  22. mug — to rob
  23. mark — a trace
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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