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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. suit — in cards
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. track — to keep track
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. suit — clothes
  13. track — a path
  14. suit — to fit
  15. track — a song
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. deal — to handle

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