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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. wind — moving air
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. game — a match
  6. wind — moving air
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. season — in sport
  9. fine — high quality
  10. ball — a great time
  11. fine — all right
  12. game — wild animals
  13. rest — what's left
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. season — of the year
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. rest — what's left
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. rest — a break
  22. ball — a dance
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. ball — a round shape

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