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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. present — there
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. rash — hasty
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. rash — a series
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. last — final
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. last — to go on
  18. bat — the animal
  19. present — the time now
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. present — a gift

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