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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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. lie — to recline
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. spring — the season
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. present — the time now
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. wake — a trail
  12. fine — all right
  13. present — a gift
  14. present — there
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. fine — high quality
  20. spring — of water
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. spring — a coil
  24. fan — a supporter

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