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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. rest — a break
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. pitch — completely
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rock — music
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. rest — what's left
  12. tube — the underground
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. squash — to crush
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. chest — a box
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. chest — of your body
  19. pit — in a race
  20. rest — what's left
  21. pit — a hole
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. chest — of your body
  24. tube — a container

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