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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 protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  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. arm — a part of something
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. ground — crushed
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. rush — hurry
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. ground — a position
  22. ground — the earth
  23. patient — a sick person
  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