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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 116 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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. present — there
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. wound — an injury
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. vault — a safe
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. wound — an injury
  16. present — a gift
  17. present — the time now
  18. kick — in football
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. snap — to click
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. fine — all right
  24. racket — for tennis

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