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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. firm — steady
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. lean — to bend
  7. tear — from crying
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. firm — a company
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. tear — from crying
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. lean — thin
  19. tear — to rip
  20. firm — decided
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. fan — a supporter

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