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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. chest — a box
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. cue — a hint
  5. club — a group
  6. march — the month
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. fork — in a road
  9. club — for golf
  10. march — music
  11. mark — a grade
  12. club — for dancing
  13. mark — a trace
  14. cue — for pool
  15. chest — of your body
  16. cue — a signal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. march — the month
  23. bear — the animal
  24. chest — of your body

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