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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.

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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. 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. kick — with a leg
  2. season — in sport
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. cue — a hint
  5. face — part of the head
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. kick — in football
  9. face — to confront
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. face — to point toward
  12. season — of the year
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. cue — a signal
  16. cue — for pool
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. 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