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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  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. calf — of the leg
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. hand — in cards
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. club — a group
  7. hand — help
  8. object — a thing
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. object — to protest
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. club — for golf
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. club — for dancing
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. rush — hurry
  23. object — an aim
  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