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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. fall — to drop
  3. kick — in football
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. lean — to bend
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. squash — the sport
  8. squash — to crush
  9. fall — the season
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. pound — a weight
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. fall — to drop
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. lean — thin
  18. pound — for dogs

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