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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. fine — high quality
  4. court — of law
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. fine — all right
  8. tube — a container
  9. perch — the fish
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. rock — music
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. tube — the underground
  16. saw — the tool
  17. ball — a great time
  18. ball — a dance
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. court — for sport
  21. court — of a king
  22. saw — the tool
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — for a bird

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