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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. court — for sport
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. object — an aim
  5. current — of water
  6. dip — to sink
  7. pit — a hole
  8. pit — in a race
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. object — a thing
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. current — electric
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. court — of law
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. current — happening now
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. court — of a king
  22. sharp — clever
  23. object — to protest
  24. lie — an untruth

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