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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 giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. wake — a trail
  3. spell — magic
  4. firm — steady
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ball — a dance
  12. firm — decided
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. firm — a company
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. rock — a stone
  20. spell — letters
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. rock — music
  23. spell — a short time
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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