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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.

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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. scale — in music
  5. suit — to fit
  6. fine — high quality
  7. tube — the underground
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. hand — in cards
  10. charge — in control
  11. charge — a price
  12. hand — help
  13. tube — a container
  14. suit — clothes
  15. fine — all right
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. scale — size or range
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. charge — electricity

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