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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.

Make a worksheet

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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. mug — to rob
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. bear — the animal
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. scale — size or range
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. mug — a cup
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. mug — a face
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. scale — in music
  21. bear — the animal
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. coach — pulled by horses

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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