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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. suit — clothes
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. tube — a container
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. spell — letters
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. spell — a short time
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. suit — to fit
  17. cold — an illness
  18. saw — the tool
  19. tube — the underground
  20. cold — not warm
  21. spell — magic
  22. saw — the tool
  23. suit — in cards
  24. calf — a young animal

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