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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. content — happy
  7. chip — to eat
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. club — for golf
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. content — the amount
  12. chip — for betting
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. kick — in football
  16. ball — a great time
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. club — a group
  20. ball — a dance
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. sharp — clever
  24. club — for dancing

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