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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. key — the most important part
  5. chest — of your body
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. spell — magic
  9. suit — in cards
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. bore — to tire
  12. chest — a box
  13. bore — to drill
  14. wound — an injury
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. spell — letters
  17. pit — in a race
  18. chest — of your body
  19. key — in music
  20. wound — an injury
  21. suit — to fit
  22. pit — a hole
  23. key — for a lock
  24. spell — a short time

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