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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  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. calf — a young animal
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. kid — child
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. roll — a cake
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. cold — not warm
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. bear — the animal
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. roll — a list
  16. bear — the animal
  17. rush — hurry
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. cold — an illness
  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