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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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. drill — the tool
  4. mug — a cup
  5. spring — a coil
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. drill — a practice
  8. mug — to rob
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. spring — of water
  15. pop — music
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. pop — to visit
  18. mug — a face
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. pitch — completely
  22. pop — soda
  23. spring — the season
  24. perch — the fish

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