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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. face — to confront
  3. face — to point toward
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. can — to be able to
  6. mark — a grade
  7. bat — the animal
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. can — a tin
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. scale — size or range
  12. face — part of the head
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bound — obliged
  16. mark — a trace
  17. can — a tin
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. bound — certain
  21. scale — in music
  22. bound — tied together
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bat — for baseball

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