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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. mark — a grade
  6. vault — a safe
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. fall — the season
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. root — the cause
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. march — the month
  16. march — the month
  17. fall — to drop
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. cell — a phone
  20. root — of a plant
  21. root — of a word
  22. mark — a trace
  23. march — music
  24. fall — to drop

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