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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. There's no middle ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. ground — a position
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. lean — to bend
  5. object — a thing
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. ground — crushed
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. kick — in football
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. ball — a great time
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. lean — thin
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. rush — hurry
  19. object — to protest
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. ball — a dance
  24. object — an aim

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