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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. rule — a law
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. rule — government
  9. swing — to play on
  10. swing — in golf
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. pass — a permit
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. kick — in football
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. swing — music
  24. racket — for tennis

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