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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. hand — in cards
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. kid — to tease
  9. march — music
  10. march — the month
  11. hand — help
  12. mark — a trace
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. stand — to bear
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mark — a grade
  20. march — the month
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. kid — child
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. pit — a hole

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