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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. ball — a great time
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. lie — to recline
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. deal — to handle
  13. bark — to shout
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. bore — to drill
  17. ball — a dance
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wound — an injury
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. bore — to tire

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