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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 116 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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. rush — hurry
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. lie — to recline
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. content — happy
  14. content — the amount
  15. fine — all right
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. bark — to shout
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. fine — high quality
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. calf — a young animal

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