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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. chair — a leader
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. cap — a hat
  7. vault — a safe
  8. content — the amount
  9. cue — for pool
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. cue — a signal
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bulb — for light
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. bulb — for light
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. cap — of ice
  23. content — happy
  24. cue — a hint

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