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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 116 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 refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. cap — of ice
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. net — after costs
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. rule — government
  7. mug — to rob
  8. net — in sport
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. mug — a face
  13. cap — a hat
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. cap — a lid
  16. net — for catching
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. rule — a law
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. vault — a safe

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