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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. object — an aim
  3. mate — to breed
  4. roll — a list
  5. mate — a partner
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. object — a thing
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. roll — a cake
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. object — to protest
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. mate — a friend
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. pound — a weight
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. leaves — lets stay

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