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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bass — the fish
  4. cue — a signal
  5. mug — to rob
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. bass — low music
  9. mug — a face
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. drill — army training
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. shower — rain
  14. shower — to wash
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. kick — in football
  19. drill — the tool
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. drill — a practice
  22. mug — a cup
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. cue — for pool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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