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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  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. leaves — of a tree
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. pop — to visit
  4. mug — a face
  5. pop — music
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. scale — size or range
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. mug — to rob
  10. pop — soda
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. scale — in music
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. mug — a cup
  18. vault — a safe
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  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