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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. suit — to fit
  3. mug — a face
  4. bear — the animal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. fine — all right
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. mug — a cup
  9. capital — money
  10. bear — the animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. capital — a city
  15. mug — to rob
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. fine — high quality
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. suit — clothes
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. suit — in cards

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