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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. firm — decided
  4. present — the time now
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. ball — a dance
  7. wind — moving air
  8. firm — steady
  9. ball — a great time
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. firm — a company
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. present — a gift
  20. present — there
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. racket — for tennis

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