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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bear — the animal
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. snap — to click
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. bark — to shout
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a hat
  17. cap — a lid
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. plane — a tool

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