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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. wound — an injury
  6. shower — to wash
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. mine — for digging
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. shower — rain
  17. lie — to recline
  18. chip — to eat
  19. wound — an injury
  20. chip — for betting
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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