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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. cap — a lid
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. vault — a safe
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. cap — a hat
  13. hand — in cards
  14. mate — a partner
  15. hand — help
  16. mate — to breed
  17. pitch — completely
  18. rule — government
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. mate — a friend
  21. cap — of ice
  22. rule — a law
  23. tube — a container
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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