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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. game — a match
  8. snap — to click
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. kick — in football
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. lie — to recline
  16. shower — rain
  17. game — wild animals
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. shower — to wash
  24. kick — with a 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