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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. spring — the season
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. can — a tin
  5. lie — to recline
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. vault — a safe
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. rest — what's left
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. spring — a coil
  12. spring — of water
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. can — a tin
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. capital — money
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. rest — a break
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. capital — a city
  22. deal — to handle
  23. can — to be able to
  24. capital — a big letter

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