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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. pit — a hole
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. capital — money
  7. pass — a permit
  8. face — to confront
  9. clip — to cut
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. face — part of the head
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. capital — a city
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. clip — for paper
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. face — to point toward
  22. clip — a video
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. lie — to recline

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