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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. mate — a friend
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. swing — music
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. mate — a partner
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. swing — in golf
  17. kick — in football
  18. tube — the underground
  19. mate — to breed
  20. tube — a container
  21. rush — hurry
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a dance
  24. swing — to play on

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