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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 ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. saw — the tool
  10. mine — for digging
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. suit — in cards
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. suit — to fit
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. saw — the tool
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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