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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 black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. bear — the animal
  3. track — a song
  4. scale — in music
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. bear — the animal
  7. fine — all right
  8. craft — a skill
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. track — to keep track
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. scale — size or range
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. fine — high quality
  20. track — a path
  21. kick — in football
  22. craft — boats
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. fan — a supporter

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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