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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. branch — a division
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. spring — of water
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. dip — to sink
  9. toast — bread
  10. mate — a friend
  11. mate — a partner
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. firm — steady
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. spring — a coil
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. firm — decided
  23. firm — a company
  24. spring — the season

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