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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. lean — thin
  3. firm — decided
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. perch — the fish
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. plane — a tool
  11. ball — a great time
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. lean — to bend
  15. mark — a grade
  16. mark — a trace
  17. firm — a company
  18. ball — a dance
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. firm — steady
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. trunk — of a car
  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