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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. snap — to click
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. drill — the tool
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — in cards
  9. craft — a skill
  10. drill — army training
  11. present — there
  12. present — the time now
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. key — in music
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. craft — boats
  17. key — the most important part
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. drill — a practice
  20. key — for a lock
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. present — a gift
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — a loud noise

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