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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. band — a ring
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. cell — a phone
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. cell — in biology
  12. pop — soda
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. pop — to visit
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. band — a music group
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bulb — for light
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bulb — for light
  23. kick — in football
  24. bulb — of a plant

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