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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 120 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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. cell — in biology
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. present — the time now
  7. fall — the season
  8. plane — a tool
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. shower — to wash
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. fall — to drop
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. fall — to drop
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. cell — a phone
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. present — a gift
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. shower — rain
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. cell — in a prison

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