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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. bulb — for light
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. rush — hurry
  7. squash — the sport
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. squash — to crush
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bulb — for light
  14. object — a thing
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rock — a stone
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. pass — a permit
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. rock — music
  23. object — to protest
  24. pass — to spend time

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