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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lie · bat · rock · cell · ball · bulb · calf · mug

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. lie — to recline
  3. bat — the animal
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a dance
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. mug — a face
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. ball — a great time
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mug — a cup
  19. rock — music
  20. mug — to rob
  21. bulb — for light
  22. cell — a phone
  23. cell — in biology
  24. bat — in an idiom

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