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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. cap — of ice
  6. fine — high quality
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. cap — a lid
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. roll — a cake
  12. cap — a hat
  13. stock — shares
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. fine — all right
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. clip — a video
  18. roll — a list
  19. stock — goods
  20. clip — for paper
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. clip — to cut
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. roll — on a roll

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