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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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. rest — a break
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. rest — what's left
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. craft — boats
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. file — a document
  15. file — a line of people
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. rest — what's left
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. deal — to handle
  22. file — a tool
  23. craft — a skill
  24. calf — of the leg

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