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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 met the new head ________________?
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. cap — a lid
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. wake — a trail
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. object — an aim
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. cold — not warm
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. cap — a hat
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. object — to protest
  16. perch — the fish
  17. pit — a hole
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. pit — in a race
  21. object — a thing
  22. cold — an illness
  23. cap — of ice
  24. wake — before a funeral

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