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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 120 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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. tear — to rip
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. mate — a friend
  6. tear — from crying
  7. mate — a partner
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. stand — to bear
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. vault — a safe
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. chair — a leader
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. tear — from crying
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. mate — to breed

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