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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. pitch — completely
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. kick — in football
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. sharp — clever
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. calf — a young 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