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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. kid — to tease
  4. kid — child
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. vault — a safe
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. charge — in control
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. charge — electricity
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. mug — a cup
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. face — part of the head
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. charge — a price
  19. mug — a face
  20. face — to point toward
  21. mug — to rob
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. face — to confront

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