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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. object — to protest
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. game — a match
  7. stock — shares
  8. bat — the animal
  9. object — a thing
  10. rest — a break
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. stock — goods
  13. game — wild animals
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. object — an aim
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rush — hurry

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