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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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. cap — of ice
  3. season — in sport
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. fall — to drop
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. mate — to breed
  10. season — of the year
  11. mate — a friend
  12. mate — a partner
  13. fall — to drop
  14. fall — the season
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. club — a group
  17. club — for dancing
  18. cap — a lid
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. cap — a hat
  22. club — for golf
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. rush — hurry

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