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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 protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. board — to get on
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. pitch — completely
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. cold — an illness
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. board — a committee
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. present — a gift
  14. present — the time now
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. present — there
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. cold — not warm
  21. bore — to tire
  22. vault — a safe
  23. bore — to drill
  24. pitch — a sports field

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