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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bulb — for light
  4. wound — an injury
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. wound — an injury
  13. bulb — for light
  14. hand — help
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bear — the animal
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bear — the animal
  20. stand — to bear
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. hand — in cards
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. bear — to put up with

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