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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. wound — an injury
  4. mug — to rob
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lean — to bend
  9. bulb — for light
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. wound — an injury
  12. bulb — for light
  13. mug — a cup
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mug — a face
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. branch — a division
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. lean — thin
  24. lie — to recline

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