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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. hand — in cards
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. chest — of your body
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. chest — a box
  13. chest — of your body
  14. plane — a tool
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. kick — in football
  20. hand — help
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. hide — to keep secret

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