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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. fork — in a road
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. suit — in cards
  6. court — of law
  7. suit — clothes
  8. lie — to recline
  9. court — for sport
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. court — of a king
  12. suit — to fit
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. sharp — clever
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. trunk — of a tree

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