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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. suit — clothes
  8. object — an aim
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. suit — to fit
  12. drill — a practice
  13. pound — a weight
  14. suit — in cards
  15. drill — the tool
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. drill — army training
  18. object — a thing
  19. object — to protest
  20. bear — the animal
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. pound — to hit hard

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