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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 116 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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. fine — all right
  4. squash — the sport
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. squash — to crush
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. fine — high quality
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. net — for catching
  15. sharp — clever
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. net — in sport
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. net — after costs
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. bat — the animal
  24. sharp — exactly

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