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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 120 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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bound — obliged
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. object — a thing
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bound — tied together
  14. ball — a dance
  15. wound — an injury
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. wound — an injury
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. bound — certain
  22. object — to protest
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. hide — to keep secret

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