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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bound — tied together
  3. row — to paddle
  4. bound — certain
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. band — a music group
  7. band — a ring
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. row — a line
  10. pitch — completely
  11. bound — obliged
  12. kick — in football
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. bear — the animal
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bear — the animal

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