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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. rest — what's left
  5. ball — a dance
  6. rest — a break
  7. hand — help
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. cue — for pool
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. cue — a signal
  13. kick — in football
  14. fall — to drop
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. fall — the season
  18. cue — a hint
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. hand — in cards
  22. ball — a great time
  23. rest — what's left
  24. ball — a round shape

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