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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. cold — not warm
  3. cold — an illness
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. lean — to bend
  8. can — a tin
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. can — a tin
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. mark — a trace
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. lean — thin
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. mark — a grade

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