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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 had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. cell — in biology
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. sharp — clever
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. kick — in football
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. key — in music
  15. key — the most important part
  16. key — for a lock
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. dip — to sink
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. cell — a phone

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