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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. court — of a king
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. cap — a lid
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. lie — to recline
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bark — to shout
  17. court — for sport
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. season — in sport
  20. season — of the year
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. court — of law
  23. cap — of ice
  24. cap — a hat

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