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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. mug — a face
  7. key — the most important part
  8. fork — in a road
  9. mug — to rob
  10. hand — in cards
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — to recline
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. file — a document
  16. hand — help
  17. file — a tool
  18. file — a line of people
  19. mug — a cup
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. key — in music
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. key — for a lock
  24. hide — to keep secret

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