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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. cap — a hat
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. cap — a lid
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. pop — soda
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. pop — to visit
  13. pit — a hole
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. cap — of ice
  17. pop — music
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. pit — in a race
  24. bulb — for light

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