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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. pass — a permit
  3. suit — in cards
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. suit — clothes
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. club — a group
  10. club — for golf
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. perch — the fish
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. pit — in a race
  15. track — to keep track
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. track — a path
  18. pit — a hole
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. club — for dancing
  22. suit — to fit
  23. track — a song
  24. perch — for a bird

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