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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. cell — a phone
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. ball — a dance
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cue — a signal
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. present — there
  9. cue — for pool
  10. cell — in biology
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. cue — a hint
  14. ball — a great time
  15. present — a gift
  16. vault — a safe
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. present — the time now
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. patient — a sick person

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