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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. cue — a hint
  4. ground — the earth
  5. current — electric
  6. cue — for pool
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. current — happening now
  11. cue — a signal
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. current — of water
  14. wind — moving air
  15. kick — in football
  16. ground — crushed
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. spell — magic
  22. wind — moving air
  23. ground — a position
  24. spell — letters

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