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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. scale — in music
  11. suit — to fit
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. scale — size or range
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. squash — the sport
  21. squash — to crush
  22. suit — in cards
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. perch — the fish

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