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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. snap — to click
  6. branch — a division
  7. ball — a dance
  8. ball — a great time
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. kick — in football
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. plane — a tool
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. bowl — a football final

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