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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. game — a match
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. pit — in a race
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. suit — to fit
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. game — wild animals
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. suit — clothes
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. ground — a position
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. pit — a hole
  22. suit — in cards
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. ground — crushed

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