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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. rash — a series
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. bulb — for light
  7. fork — in a road
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. game — wild animals
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. game — a match
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. lie — to recline
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. bulb — for light
  21. rash — hasty
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. vault — a safe
  24. stand — to bear

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