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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. mark — a trace
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. file — a document
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. file — a line of people
  9. bat — the animal
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. mark — a grade
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bulb — for light
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. pound — a weight
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. bulb — for light
  24. safe — out of danger

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