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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 works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. land — a country
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. land — to come down
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. pit — in a race
  8. pitch — completely
  9. face — part of the head
  10. club — for dancing
  11. cue — a hint
  12. pit — a hole
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. saw — the tool
  15. face — to confront
  16. land — ground
  17. face — to point toward
  18. cue — a signal
  19. club — for golf
  20. cue — for pool
  21. club — a group
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  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