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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 protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. game — a match
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. pound — a weight
  10. lie — to recline
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. mug — a cup
  14. foot — a measure
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. game — wild animals
  17. mug — a face
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. mug — to rob

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