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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: cabinet · stick · ruler · mug · lie · hand · game · calf

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. game — a match
  3. mug — a face
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. mug — to rob
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. hand — in cards
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. game — wild animals
  15. mug — a cup
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. hand — help
  24. ruler — for measuring

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