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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. cap — a hat
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. pitch — completely
  8. mark — a trace
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. wound — an injury
  11. rock — a stone
  12. mark — a grade
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. rock — music
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. wound — an injury
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. cap — of ice
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. cap — a lid
  24. rush — hurry

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