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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. bulb — for light
  6. branch — a division
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. roll — a list
  9. file — a tool
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. file — a document
  13. file — a line of people
  14. band — a music group
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. foot — a measure
  17. band — a ring
  18. bulb — for light
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. roll — a cake

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