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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. lie — to recline
  4. suit — to fit
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. shower — rain
  8. suit — in cards
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. shower — to wash
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. game — wild animals
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. game — a match
  23. suit — clothes
  24. lie — an untruth

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