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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. kick — in football
  5. saw — the tool
  6. lean — thin
  7. perch — the fish
  8. cue — a signal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. lean — to bend
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. cue — a hint
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. saw — the tool
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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