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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  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. racket — for tennis
  2. suit — clothes
  3. kid — to tease
  4. ball — a dance
  5. key — in music
  6. kid — child
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. suit — to fit
  9. swing — in golf
  10. swing — to play on
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. suit — in cards
  13. key — the most important part
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. swing — music
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. key — for a lock
  18. ball — a great time
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — a strongbox
  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