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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 116 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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. saw — the tool
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. ball — a dance
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. field — a subject
  9. field — for sport
  10. firm — steady
  11. rest — a break
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. ball — a great time
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. field — farmland
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rest — what's left
  22. firm — decided
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. firm — a company

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