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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. present — there
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. cap — of ice
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. cap — a hat
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. chip — for betting
  9. present — the time now
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. foot — a measure
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. pit — a hole
  14. rush — hurry
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. pit — in a race
  19. present — a gift
  20. rock — a stone
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. chip — to eat
  23. cap — a lid
  24. foot — the bottom

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