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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. rest — what's left
  5. object — an aim
  6. pass — a permit
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. object — to protest
  12. fine — high quality
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. object — a thing
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. rest — a break
  19. craft — boats
  20. fine — all right
  21. craft — a skill
  22. rest — what's left
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. craft — a handicraft

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