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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 116 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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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. pass — to spend time
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. field — farmland
  8. bass — the fish
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. field — a subject
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. pass — a permit
  17. cap — a lid
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. field — for sport
  22. cap — a hat
  23. cap — of ice
  24. bass — low music

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