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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. can — to be able to
  4. cue — a signal
  5. can — a tin
  6. suit — in cards
  7. suit — to fit
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. capital — a city
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. wake — a trail
  12. chest — of your body
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. can — a tin
  15. capital — money
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. cue — for pool
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. chest — a box
  22. suit — clothes
  23. cue — a hint
  24. chest — of your body

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