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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 is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. mate — a partner
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. mate — a friend
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. mate — to breed
  13. lean — to bend
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. kid — child
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. perch — the fish
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. kid — to tease

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