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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. firm — steady
  8. firm — decided
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. game — wild animals
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. pitch — completely
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. ball — a dance
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. ball — a great time
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. game — a match
  20. firm — a company
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. foot — a measure
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. ball — a round shape

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