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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 120 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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pop — soda
  4. vault — a safe
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. present — a gift
  10. stand — to bear
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. mate — a partner
  13. club — for dancing
  14. mate — to breed
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. pop — music
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. club — a group
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. club — for golf
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. present — the time now
  23. present — there
  24. mate — a friend

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