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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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. can — a tin
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. cell — in biology
  6. rule — a law
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. can — a tin
  9. rash — a series
  10. rock — a stone
  11. rash — hasty
  12. can — to be able to
  13. rock — music
  14. rule — government
  15. perch — the fish
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. bark — to shout
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. cell — a phone

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