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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 116 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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. kid — child
  3. firm — a company
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. wind — moving air
  6. firm — steady
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. kid — to tease
  12. fall — to drop
  13. firm — decided
  14. fall — the season
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. fall — to drop
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. wind — moving air
  19. bank — for money
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. sharp — clever
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bank — for money

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