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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. hand — in cards
  3. bound — certain
  4. ground — a position
  5. lean — thin
  6. bound — tied together
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. bound — obliged
  9. ground — the earth
  10. pop — soda
  11. pop — music
  12. lean — to bend
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. pop — to visit
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. ground — crushed
  18. hand — help
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. toast — bread
  24. calf — a young animal

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