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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. bear — the animal
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. court — of a king
  13. rock — a stone
  14. court — of law
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. rock — music
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. court — for sport
  20. drill — the tool
  21. drill — army training
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. drill — a practice

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