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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. face — to confront
  4. rock — music
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. hand — help
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. sharp — clever
  9. hand — in cards
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. present — the time now
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. present — a gift
  16. ball — a dance
  17. rock — a stone
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. face — part of the head
  21. ball — a great time
  22. present — there
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. face — to point toward

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