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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.

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: object · sharp · calf · fine · mark · mouse · plane · kid

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. sharp — clever
  3. kid — to tease
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. fine — all right
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mark — a grade
  11. fine — high quality
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. object — a thing
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. plane — a tool
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. mark — a trace
  20. object — to protest
  21. kid — child
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. object — an aim
  24. mouse — the animal

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