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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. chair — a leader
  3. cap — a hat
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. rest — what's left
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. tube — a container
  13. rest — what's left
  14. tube — the underground
  15. rest — a break
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. can — to be able to
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — a tin
  22. cap — of ice
  23. cap — a lid
  24. fork — in a road

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