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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. stand — to bear
  4. vault — a safe
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. rash — hasty
  7. scale — size or range
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. scale — in music
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. rock — a stone
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. rock — music
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. rash — a series

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