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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. field — farmland
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bark — to shout
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. craft — boats
  11. field — for sport
  12. field — a subject
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. chip — to eat
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. craft — a skill
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. chip — for betting
  24. craft — a handicraft

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