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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 116 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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. mark — a grade
  3. squash — the sport
  4. kick — in football
  5. lie — to recline
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. squash — to crush
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. mug — to rob
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. bound — obliged
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. mug — a cup
  17. bat — the animal
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. bound — certain
  20. mark — a trace
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. mug — a face
  24. bound — tied together

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