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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. pit — in a race
  3. mark — a trace
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. fine — high quality
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. lie — to recline
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. kid — child
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. mark — a grade
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. fine — all right
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. kid — to tease
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. pit — a hole

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