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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bat — the animal
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. pop — to visit
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. fork — in a road
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. pop — music
  14. pop — soda
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rock — music
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. rock — a stone
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. fork — a garden tool

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