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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. fall — to drop
  4. face — part of the head
  5. object — a thing
  6. spring — of water
  7. face — to confront
  8. fall — the season
  9. fall — to drop
  10. rock — a stone
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. spring — the season
  14. object — to protest
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. mine — for digging
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. face — to point toward
  21. spring — a coil
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. rock — music
  24. mine — an explosive

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