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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 120 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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. ball — a great time
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. kick — in football
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. spell — a short time
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. craft — a skill
  12. fine — all right
  13. craft — boats
  14. spell — letters
  15. fine — high quality
  16. ball — a dance
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. degree — an amount
  21. degree — temperature
  22. spell — magic
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. degree — from a university

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