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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. firm — a company
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. wake — a trail
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. lie — to recline
  14. hand — in cards
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. fork — in a road
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. mine — for digging
  19. hand — help
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. firm — decided
  24. firm — steady

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