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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 protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. foot — a measure
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. snap — to click
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — to recline
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. craft — a skill
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. tube — the underground
  17. tube — a container
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. wake — a trail
  21. craft — boats
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. kick — in football
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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