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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. net — in sport
  4. saw — the tool
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. rash — a series
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. net — for catching
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. mark — a grade
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. current — of water
  14. current — happening now
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. saw — the tool
  17. kick — in football
  18. mark — a trace
  19. net — after costs
  20. perch — the fish
  21. current — electric
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. rash — hasty
  24. rash — on the skin

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