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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. pitch — completely
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. roll — a cake
  6. suit — clothes
  7. fine — all right
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. suit — to fit
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. toast — bread
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. roll — a list
  21. fine — high quality
  22. cell — a phone
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. suit — in cards

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