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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. present — the time now
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. land — to come down
  5. kick — in football
  6. mug — to rob
  7. firm — a company
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. land — ground
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. present — a gift
  12. mug — a cup
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. pound — a weight
  16. firm — decided
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. mug — a face
  19. present — there
  20. firm — steady
  21. land — a country
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. kick — with a leg

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