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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. object — to protest
  4. spell — magic
  5. object — a thing
  6. ball — a great time
  7. toast — bread
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. suit — clothes
  10. pop — to visit
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. ball — a dance
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. suit — to fit
  15. object — an aim
  16. pop — soda
  17. pop — music
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. spell — a short time
  20. roll — a list
  21. spell — letters
  22. roll — a cake
  23. suit — in cards
  24. toast — the most admired

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