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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. suit — clothes
  3. object — to protest
  4. suit — in cards
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. craft — boats
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bat — the animal
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. object — an aim
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. suit — to fit
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. craft — a skill
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. object — a thing

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