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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. net — after costs
  3. mug — to rob
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. staff — a stick
  7. cap — of ice
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. mine — for digging
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. mug — a cup
  13. net — for catching
  14. staff — employees
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. stand — to bear
  17. cap — a lid
  18. cap — a hat
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. net — in sport
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. staff — employees
  23. mug — a face
  24. calf — a young animal

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