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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. firm — steady
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. pound — a weight
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. kick — in football
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. firm — a company
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. firm — decided
  16. chair — a leader
  17. mate — to breed
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. mate — a partner
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. mate — a friend

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