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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. present — a gift
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. saw — the tool
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. last — finally
  11. lie — to recline
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. last — to go on
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. present — the time now
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. last — final
  22. saw — the tool
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. bat — the animal

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