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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 124 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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. season — in sport
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. lean — thin
  9. lean — to bend
  10. can — a tin
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. can — a tin
  15. rule — a law
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. tube — the underground
  18. rule — government
  19. tube — a container
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. perch — the fish
  23. season — of the year
  24. can — to be able to

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