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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: calf · leaves · cell · mate · chest · wound · wake · bay

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. chest — of your body
  9. cell — a phone
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. mate — a friend
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. wake — a trail
  17. cell — in biology
  18. chest — of your body
  19. wound — an injury
  20. mate — to breed
  21. chest — a box
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. wound — an injury
  24. mate — a partner

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