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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. root — the cause
  5. net — after costs
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. tear — from crying
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. root — of a word
  14. net — for catching
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. root — of a plant
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. snap — to click
  21. tear — from crying
  22. tear — to rip
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. net — in sport

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