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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. tear — to rip
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. content — happy
  8. root — of a word
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. lean — thin
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. root — the cause
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. tear — from crying
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. stand — to bear
  19. root — of a plant
  20. tear — from crying
  21. content — the amount
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. lean — to bend
  24. mouse — for a computer

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