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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  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. cell — in biology
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. cell — a phone
  5. bat — the animal
  6. mate — a friend
  7. season — in sport
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. vault — a safe
  10. season — of the year
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. suit — in cards
  16. suit — clothes
  17. mate — a partner
  18. mate — to breed
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. bat — for baseball
  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