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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. cold — an illness
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. pass — a permit
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. lie — to recline
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. track — a song
  15. track — a path
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. track — to keep track
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. cold — not warm
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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