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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. dip — to sink
  10. wound — an injury
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. mark — a grade
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. mark — a trace

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