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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. tube — the underground
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mark — a grade
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. chest — of your body
  15. present — a gift
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. present — there
  18. chest — of your body
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. chest — a box
  21. mark — a trace
  22. present — the time now
  23. tube — a container
  24. wake — a trail

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