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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. row — a line
  3. tube — the underground
  4. lie — to recline
  5. object — an aim
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. tube — a container
  12. row — to paddle
  13. object — a thing
  14. object — to protest
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. season — in sport
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. season — of the year
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. stand — to bear
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. mouse — for a computer

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