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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. march — the month
  4. march — music
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. object — to protest
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. foot — a measure
  12. object — a thing
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. ball — a dance
  19. object — an aim
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. ball — a great time
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. march — the month
  24. wave — of the sea

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