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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: mark · lie · kick · calf · deal · chest · present · leaves

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. present — there
  4. chest — a box
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. chest — of your body
  8. kick — in football
  9. mark — a trace
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. deal — to handle
  12. present — the time now
  13. present — a gift
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — to recline
  17. mark — a grade
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. chest — of your body

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