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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 116 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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. suit — to fit
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. staff — employees
  8. rash — hasty
  9. row — a line
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. suit — clothes
  13. game — wild animals
  14. suit — in cards
  15. pound — a weight
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. game — a match
  20. kick — in football
  21. staff — employees
  22. row — to paddle
  23. staff — a stick
  24. kick — with a leg

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