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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bear — the animal
  3. row — to paddle
  4. pit — in a race
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bound — tied together
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. bound — obliged
  14. row — a line
  15. wax — to grow
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. sharp — clever
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. pit — a hole
  24. bear — the animal

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