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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bear — the animal
  5. chest — of your body
  6. rash — hasty
  7. bear — the animal
  8. track — to keep track
  9. track — a song
  10. bulb — for light
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. chest — a box
  14. snap — to click
  15. rash — a series
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. chest — of your body
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. track — a path
  24. calf — a young animal

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