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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. tube — a container
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. board — to get on
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. tube — the underground
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitch — completely
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. perch — the fish
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. ball — a dance
  22. ball — a great time
  23. board — a committee
  24. calf — a young animal

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