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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. pop — to visit
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. date — the fruit
  7. mug — a face
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. pop — music
  13. branch — a division
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. pop — soda
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. mug — a cup
  19. mug — to rob
  20. bulb — for light
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bulb — for light
  24. branch — of a bank

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