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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. kid — to tease
  4. bound — obliged
  5. cap — of ice
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bound — certain
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. fine — all right
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. bound — tied together
  16. cap — a hat
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. fine — high quality
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. fork — in a road
  22. ball — a great time
  23. cap — a lid
  24. kid — child

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