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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'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. face — to confront
  3. lie — to recline
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. spell — letters
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. spell — a short time
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. scale — in music
  13. suit — to fit
  14. suit — clothes
  15. spell — magic
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. face — part of the head
  19. deal — to handle
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. suit — in cards
  22. scale — size or range
  23. face — to point toward
  24. calf — a young animal

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