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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. spring — a coil
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. chair — a leader
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. cue — a hint
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. cue — for pool
  14. ball — a dance
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. ball — a great time
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. spring — of water
  21. spring — the season
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. cue — a signal

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