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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. pit — a hole
  3. bulb — for light
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. pit — in a race
  7. firm — steady
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. face — part of the head
  11. face — to confront
  12. ball — a dance
  13. firm — a company
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. firm — decided
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bulb — for light
  22. face — to point toward
  23. ball — a great time
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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