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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 120 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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. cap — a hat
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. cap — of ice
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. content — the amount
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. pitch — completely
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. cap — a lid
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. bulb — for light
  19. content — happy
  20. rock — music
  21. bulb — for light
  22. chair — a leader
  23. rock — a stone
  24. arm — part of the body

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