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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. perch — the fish
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. foot — a measure
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. ball — a great time
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bark — to shout
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. ball — a dance
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. wake — a trail
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wake — before a funeral

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