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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. tube — a container
  3. rock — a stone
  4. mug — a cup
  5. mug — a face
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. mark — a trace
  10. march — music
  11. march — the month
  12. mug — to rob
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. mark — a grade
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. vault — a safe
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. land — a country
  21. rock — music
  22. tube — the underground
  23. land — ground
  24. march — the month

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