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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. ball — a dance
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. track — a path
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. row — to paddle
  7. suit — to fit
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. ball — a great time
  12. cap — of ice
  13. wind — moving air
  14. cap — a hat
  15. track — to keep track
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. cap — a lid
  18. track — a song
  19. suit — in cards
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. row — a line
  22. wind — moving air
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. calf — a young animal

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