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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. suit — in cards
  5. kid — to tease
  6. suit — clothes
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. stock — goods
  10. lean — to bend
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. stock — shares
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. kid — child
  22. lean — thin
  23. suit — to fit
  24. ruler — a monarch

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