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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bark — to shout
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. kick — in football
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. court — of a king
  10. spell — a short time
  11. spell — letters
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. spell — magic
  17. court — of law
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. court — for sport

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