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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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. chest — of your body
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. craft — a skill
  16. snap — to click
  17. craft — boats
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. prune — to trim
  21. chest — of your body
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. prune — to trim

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