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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 116 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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. cell — in biology
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. swing — in golf
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. rash — hasty
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. cell — a phone
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. swing — music
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. vault — a safe
  19. stem — to come from
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. sharp — clever
  23. rash — a series
  24. swing — to play on

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