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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. kick — in football
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. foot — a measure
  7. branch — a division
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. face — to point toward
  10. face — part of the head
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. fine — high quality
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. fine — all right
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. ball — a dance
  20. ball — a great time
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. face — to confront
  24. foot — the bottom

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