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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. suit — clothes
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. hand — in cards
  6. mine — for digging
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. fine — all right
  9. craft — boats
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. suit — in cards
  14. craft — a skill
  15. hand — help
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. suit — to fit
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. pound — a weight
  22. fine — high quality
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. ruler — for measuring

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