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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 120 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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. suit — to fit
  5. rest — a break
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. kick — in football
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. dip — to sink
  10. kid — to tease
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. rest — what's left
  15. kid — child
  16. stock — goods
  17. stock — shares
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. suit — in cards
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. rest — what's left
  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