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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 120 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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. spring — a coil
  7. season — in sport
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. pit — in a race
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. pit — a hole
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. spring — the season
  19. rush — hurry
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. pound — a weight
  24. spring — of water

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