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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. object — an aim
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. mate — a partner
  6. face — to point toward
  7. field — a subject
  8. mate — a friend
  9. face — to confront
  10. kick — in football
  11. pitch — completely
  12. object — a thing
  13. field — for sport
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. mate — to breed
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. field — farmland
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. object — to protest
  23. face — part of the head
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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