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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 ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. bear — the animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. rule — government
  15. roll — a cake
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. rule — a law
  24. roll — a list

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