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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. fork — in a road
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. swing — to play on
  9. track — a path
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. mark — a trace
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. mark — a grade
  15. track — to keep track
  16. track — a song
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. ball — a dance
  21. swing — music
  22. ball — a great time
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. swing — in golf

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