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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. pit — in a race
  4. tube — the underground
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. tube — a container
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — a break
  9. sharp — clever
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. fall — the season
  12. rest — what's left
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. band — a ring
  15. pit — a hole
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. firm — a company
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. fall — to drop
  21. fall — to drop
  22. band — a music group
  23. firm — steady
  24. firm — decided

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