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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 120 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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. spell — letters
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. spell — magic
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. spell — a short time
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. land — ground
  19. rush — hurry
  20. land — to come down
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. land — a country
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. racket — for tennis

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