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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. mate — to breed
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a dance
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. mate — a partner
  13. mate — a friend
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. cap — of ice
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. cap — a hat
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. ball — a great time
  20. cap — a lid
  21. wake — a trail
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. firm — decided
  24. firm — steady

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