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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: mug · kid · calf · snap · toast · temple · hide · fine

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. mug — to rob
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. mug — a cup
  9. fine — high quality
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. fine — all right
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. mug — a face
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. kid — child
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. snap — to click
  21. toast — bread
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. temple — side of the head

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