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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. lean — to bend
  4. lie — to recline
  5. lean — thin
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. stem — to come from
  12. kick — in football
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bass — low music
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. stem — of a plant

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