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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. staff — employees
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. fork — in a road
  8. chest — of your body
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. bound — obliged
  11. chest — a box
  12. chest — of your body
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. staff — a stick
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rock — music
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. kick — in football
  22. bound — tied together
  23. staff — employees
  24. calf — a young animal

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