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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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. fine — all right
  4. rock — a stone
  5. drill — a practice
  6. drill — the tool
  7. cap — of ice
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. fine — high quality
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. rock — music
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. wake — a trail
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. drill — army training
  23. cap — a lid
  24. cap — a hat

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