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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. net — in sport
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. object — to protest
  8. object — a thing
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. dip — to sink
  12. net — for catching
  13. deal — to handle
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. object — an aim
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. net — after costs
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. temple — side of the head

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