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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. mark — a trace
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. rash — a series
  13. saw — the tool
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. rash — hasty
  16. lie — to recline
  17. row — to paddle
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. saw — the tool
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. mark — a grade

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