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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. court — for sport
  6. court — of law
  7. ground — a position
  8. mark — a trace
  9. cell — in biology
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. mark — a grade
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. march — music
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. lean — to bend
  19. ground — crushed
  20. march — the month
  21. lean — thin
  22. march — the month
  23. court — of a king
  24. cell — a phone

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