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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. mug — a face
  3. land — ground
  4. pitch — completely
  5. track — a path
  6. mug — to rob
  7. track — a song
  8. pit — in a race
  9. rock — a stone
  10. pit — a hole
  11. track — to keep track
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. land — to come down
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. rock — music
  19. land — a country
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. mug — a cup
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. mouse — the 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