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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. field — for sport
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. current — happening now
  8. field — a subject
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. ball — a dance
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. suit — to fit
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. current — of water
  17. field — farmland
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. current — electric
  20. date — the fruit
  21. ball — a great time
  22. suit — clothes
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bowl — a dish

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