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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. ball — a dance
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. ball — a great time
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. snap — to click
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. season — of the year
  22. season — in sport
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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