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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. root — of a word
  4. suit — clothes
  5. cap — a lid
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. net — after costs
  9. root — the cause
  10. root — of a plant
  11. present — the time now
  12. present — a gift
  13. kick — in football
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. suit — to fit
  16. chair — a leader
  17. cap — a hat
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. net — for catching
  20. suit — in cards
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. cap — of ice
  23. net — in sport
  24. present — there

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