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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bulb — for light
  5. ball — a dance
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. capital — money
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. ground — a position
  13. sharp — clever
  14. capital — a city
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bulb — for light
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. ground — the earth
  21. lie — to recline
  22. ball — a great time
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. ground — crushed

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