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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. cell — a phone
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. pop — to visit
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. spell — letters
  10. pop — music
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. swing — in golf
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. vault — a safe
  18. cell — in biology
  19. swing — to play on
  20. pop — soda
  21. spell — magic
  22. spell — a short time
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. calf — a young animal

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