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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. firm — steady
  3. date — the fruit
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. lie — to recline
  6. kid — to tease
  7. firm — decided
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. spell — a short time
  11. root — of a word
  12. spell — magic
  13. root — of a plant
  14. craft — a skill
  15. craft — boats
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. root — the cause
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. firm — a company
  24. spell — letters

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