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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. board — a committee
  7. key — the most important part
  8. ball — a dance
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. board — to get on
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. fine — all right
  14. key — in music
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. ball — a great time
  20. key — for a lock
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. fine — high quality
  24. fine — a penalty

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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