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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 120 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. He is an ace ________________.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. kid — child
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. wake — a trail
  7. fine — high quality
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. firm — steady
  12. squash — to crush
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. firm — a company
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. fine — all right
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. firm — decided
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. kid — to tease
  24. squash — the sport

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