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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. ball — a dance
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. present — a gift
  6. present — the time now
  7. saw — the tool
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. ball — a great time
  11. kick — in football
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. lean — thin
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. bass — the fish
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. lean — to bend
  21. saw — the tool
  22. present — there
  23. bass — low music
  24. calf — of the leg

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