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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. mark — a grade
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. ball — a great time
  7. tube — the underground
  8. face — to confront
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. face — to point toward
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. season — in sport
  15. mark — a trace
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. face — part of the head
  19. wound — an injury
  20. ball — a dance
  21. season — of the year
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. wound — an injury
  24. season — to add flavour

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