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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. lean — to bend
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. lean — thin
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. staff — employees
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. staff — employees
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. staff — a stick
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. can — a tin
  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