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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. kick — in football
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. firm — decided
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. ball — a dance
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. firm — steady
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. firm — a company
  17. bear — the animal
  18. scale — in music
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. scale — size or range
  21. stem — to come from
  22. bear — the animal
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. ball — a great time

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