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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. snap — to click
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. firm — decided
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. firm — steady
  10. mug — a cup
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. ball — a dance
  17. firm — a company
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. mug — a face
  20. hand — in cards
  21. mug — to rob
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. hand — help

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