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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 124 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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. cap — of ice
  3. present — a gift
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. present — there
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. track — a song
  8. cap — a lid
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. cap — a hat
  13. club — for dancing
  14. club — a group
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. track — a path
  17. track — to keep track
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. rush — hurry
  20. present — the time now
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. vault — a safe
  23. club — for golf
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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