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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 116 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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. lie — to recline
  3. mark — a trace
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. prune — to trim
  6. season — in sport
  7. mate — a friend
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. mate — to breed
  10. bulb — for light
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. mate — a partner
  17. season — of the year
  18. bulb — for light
  19. prune — to trim
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. lie — an untruth

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