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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. rash — a series
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — the fish
  7. present — there
  8. suit — in cards
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. present — a gift
  12. present — the time now
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. rash — hasty
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. content — happy
  22. suit — clothes
  23. content — the amount
  24. rush — hurry

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