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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 120 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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. face — part of the head
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. kick — in football
  7. shower — rain
  8. hand — in cards
  9. shower — to wash
  10. board — to get on
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — to recline
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. face — to confront
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. board — a committee
  21. face — to point toward
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. hand — help
  24. kick — with a leg

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