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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 120 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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. suit — clothes
  4. pit — in a race
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. squash — to crush
  8. object — an aim
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. kick — in football
  11. suit — to fit
  12. lean — to bend
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. object — a thing
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. object — to protest
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. lean — thin
  21. squash — the sport
  22. bat — the animal
  23. pit — a hole
  24. calf — of the leg

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