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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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Word bank
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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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. fine — all right
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. game — a match
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. fine — high quality
  7. mate — a friend
  8. net — after costs
  9. perch — the fish
  10. mate — to breed
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. suit — in cards
  16. suit — to fit
  17. game — wild animals
  18. net — for catching
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. suit — clothes
  21. net — in sport
  22. mate — a partner
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. racket — a loud noise

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