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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 giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. kid — to tease
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. suit — clothes
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. staff — employees
  9. kid — child
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. fork — in a road
  13. bear — the animal
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. suit — in cards
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. staff — employees
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. staff — a stick
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. suit — to fit
  23. perch — the fish
  24. bear — the 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