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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. present — there
  4. present — the time now
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. firm — a company
  8. plane — a tool
  9. cap — of ice
  10. spring — the season
  11. spring — a coil
  12. firm — decided
  13. rest — a break
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. spring — of water
  16. cap — a hat
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — what's left
  20. firm — steady
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. cap — a lid
  24. jam — in traffic

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