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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. suit — in cards
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. court — of a king
  12. pop — music
  13. sharp — clever
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. mine — for digging
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. pop — soda
  18. pop — to visit
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. court — for sport
  22. court — of law
  23. suit — to fit
  24. suit — clothes

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