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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 120 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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. rest — what's left
  3. chair — a leader
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. kick — in football
  7. mug — a face
  8. wound — an injury
  9. mug — to rob
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. kid — child
  12. rest — a break
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. mug — a cup
  19. wound — an injury
  20. kid — to tease
  21. rest — what's left
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. calf — a young animal

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