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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  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. stand — on your feet
  3. spell — letters
  4. charge — in control
  5. spell — magic
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. wake — a trail
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. lie — to recline
  12. game — wild animals
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bark — to shout
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. charge — a price
  20. spell — a short time
  21. stand — to bear
  22. charge — electricity
  23. game — a match
  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