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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. kid — to tease
  4. bear — the animal
  5. squash — to crush
  6. pit — in a race
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. firm — decided
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. kid — child
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. firm — steady
  13. bear — the animal
  14. firm — a company
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. squash — the sport
  18. roll — a list
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. pit — a hole
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. roll — a cake
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. squash — the vegetable

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