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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. track — a path
  4. pop — music
  5. suit — in cards
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mate — to breed
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. kid — to tease
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. suit — clothes
  13. kid — child
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. pop — soda
  17. mate — a friend
  18. track — to keep track
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. track — a song
  21. mate — a partner
  22. pop — to visit
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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