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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. fork — in a road
  3. ball — a dance
  4. squash — the sport
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. ball — a great time
  7. march — the month
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. march — the month
  11. hand — help
  12. vault — a safe
  13. march — music
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. squash — to crush
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. hand — in cards
  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