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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. content — happy
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. content — the amount
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. kick — in football
  11. mine — for digging
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. chip — to eat
  15. chip — for betting
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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