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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. ball — a dance
  6. field — farmland
  7. band — a music group
  8. pit — in a race
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. prune — to trim
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. field — for sport
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. band — a ring
  17. prune — to trim
  18. field — a subject
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. pit — a hole
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. ball — a great time

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