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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. pitch — completely
  8. can — a tin
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. land — ground
  12. season — in sport
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. land — to come down
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. season — of the year
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. land — a country
  20. can — a tin
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. can — to be able to
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. calf — a young animal

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