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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. suit — to fit
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. bear — the animal
  6. suit — in cards
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. suit — clothes
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. kid — to tease
  12. net — in sport
  13. hand — in cards
  14. roll — a list
  15. net — after costs
  16. kid — child
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. roll — a cake
  22. net — for catching
  23. bear — the animal
  24. hand — help

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