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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  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. hide — animal skin
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. craft — boats
  5. bear — the animal
  6. rest — a break
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. branch — a division
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. pass — a permit
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. bear — the animal
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. rest — what's left
  16. present — the time now
  17. present — a gift
  18. craft — a skill
  19. rest — what's left
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. present — there
  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