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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. squash — the sport
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. lean — to bend
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. lean — thin
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. pitch — completely
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. bark — to shout
  18. kid — to tease
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. kid — child
  23. wax — to grow
  24. squash — to crush

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