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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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. pop — music
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. swing — in golf
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. pit — a hole
  11. pop — soda
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. chair — a leader
  14. pit — in a race
  15. pop — to visit
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. wake — a trail
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. swing — to play on
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. swing — music
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. rush — hurry

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