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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. kid — to tease
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lean — to bend
  9. track — a path
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. track — to keep track
  12. track — a song
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. craft — a skill
  15. court — of law
  16. lean — thin
  17. craft — boats
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. court — of a king
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. kid — child
  23. court — for sport
  24. calf — of the leg

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