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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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. mug — to rob
  3. mate — to breed
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. file — a line of people
  6. file — a tool
  7. mate — a friend
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. tube — the underground
  10. tube — a container
  11. pit — in a race
  12. mug — a cup
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. ground — the earth
  16. mate — a partner
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pit — a hole
  19. ground — a position
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. ground — crushed
  22. bulb — for light
  23. file — a document
  24. mug — a face

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