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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — to recline
  5. cap — of ice
  6. land — a country
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. cap — a hat
  12. stem — to come from
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. land — to come down
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. cap — a lid
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. kick — in football
  19. land — ground
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. calf — of the leg

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