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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: calf · deal · arm · kick · hide · suit · present · kid

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — to fit
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. present — the time now
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. present — there
  14. suit — clothes
  15. kid — child
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. deal — to handle
  19. kid — to tease
  20. kick — in football
  21. present — a gift
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. kick — with a 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