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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. suit — in cards
  4. cell — in biology
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. cap — of ice
  7. suit — clothes
  8. snap — to click
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. mark — a trace
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. mark — a grade
  15. cap — a lid
  16. cell — a phone
  17. cap — a hat
  18. snap — to speak sharply

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