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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. bound — certain
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. tube — the underground
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. suit — clothes
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. file — a document
  11. bound — tied together
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. file — a tool
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. suit — to fit
  18. file — a line of people
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. tube — a container
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bound — obliged

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