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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. spring — of water
  6. spring — a coil
  7. file — a line of people
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. charge — a price
  10. sharp — clever
  11. suit — to fit
  12. key — the most important part
  13. file — a document
  14. key — in music
  15. suit — clothes
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. file — a tool
  18. fall — the season
  19. charge — electricity
  20. spring — the season
  21. key — for a lock
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fall — to drop
  24. charge — in control

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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