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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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. bulb — for light
  4. squash — to crush
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. rash — a series
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. rash — hasty
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. craft — boats
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. pop — soda
  18. craft — a skill
  19. pop — music
  20. scale — size or range
  21. scale — in music
  22. squash — the sport
  23. bulb — for light
  24. pop — to visit

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