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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. kick — in football
  4. squash — the sport
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. firm — decided
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. spring — the season
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. pitch — completely
  13. spring — of water
  14. firm — steady
  15. squash — to crush
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. spring — a coil
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. firm — a company
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. prune — to trim
  24. prune — to trim

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