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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. lie — to recline
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. pop — music
  9. cue — a hint
  10. pop — to visit
  11. cue — for pool
  12. cue — a signal
  13. cell — in biology
  14. firm — steady
  15. cell — a phone
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. pop — soda
  18. capital — a city
  19. capital — money
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. firm — a company
  23. firm — decided
  24. racket — a loud noise

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