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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. fine — high quality
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. face — to point toward
  7. face — to confront
  8. cue — a signal
  9. ball — a dance
  10. kick — in football
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. ball — a great time
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. cue — for pool
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. fine — all right
  20. spell — magic
  21. face — part of the head
  22. cue — a hint
  23. spell — letters
  24. snap — to click

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