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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. chest — of your body
  3. spell — a short time
  4. chest — of your body
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. chest — a box
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cap — of ice
  10. spell — magic
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. vault — a safe
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. cap — a lid
  20. spell — letters
  21. cap — a hat
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. lie — to recline

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