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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. ball — a great time
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. chest — of your body
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. saw — the tool
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. ball — a dance
  15. lean — to bend
  16. chest — of your body
  17. rash — hasty
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. stand — to bear
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. chest — a box
  24. rash — a series

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