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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 120 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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. rest — what's left
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. rest — a break
  5. saw — the tool
  6. cap — a lid
  7. pound — a weight
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. object — a thing
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. rest — what's left
  14. swing — in golf
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. swing — music
  20. swing — to play on
  21. object — an aim
  22. cap — a hat
  23. cap — of ice
  24. object — to protest

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