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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 116 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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. sharp — clever
  3. suit — in cards
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. fine — high quality
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. drill — the tool
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. suit — clothes
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. kid — to tease
  16. suit — to fit
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. drill — a practice
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. drill — army training
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. fine — all right
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. kid — child

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