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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 · cell · pass · spell · game · coach · mouse · lie

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. game — wild animals
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. pass — a permit
  6. spell — letters
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. cell — a phone
  9. spell — a short time
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. game — a match
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. lie — to recline
  21. cell — in biology
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. spell — magic
  24. lie — an untruth

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