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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. pound — a weight
  3. object — an aim
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. rest — what's left
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. object — a thing
  9. object — to protest
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. tube — a container
  16. rest — what's left
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. fork — in a road
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. craft — boats
  21. tube — the underground
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. craft — a skill
  24. rest — a break

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