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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. ground — the earth
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. rest — what's left
  15. ground — a position
  16. vault — a safe
  17. rest — a break
  18. rest — what's left
  19. ball — a dance
  20. ground — crushed
  21. chip — to eat
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. chip — for betting
  24. calf — of the leg

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