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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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. face — part of the head
  3. net — in sport
  4. face — to point toward
  5. cap — of ice
  6. hand — help
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. swing — in golf
  9. net — for catching
  10. net — after costs
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. swing — music
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. cap — a lid
  15. hand — in cards
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. swing — to play on
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. face — to confront
  23. cap — a hat
  24. chair — a leader

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