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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. rash — a series
  3. fine — all right
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. snap — to click
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. rash — hasty
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. lie — to recline
  21. fine — high quality
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. lean — to bend
  24. fine — a penalty

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