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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. pop — music
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. ground — the earth
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. suit — to fit
  8. firm — decided
  9. pop — to visit
  10. firm — steady
  11. pop — soda
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. firm — a company
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. ground — crushed
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. capital — money
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. ground — a position
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — in cards
  23. capital — a city
  24. calf — a young animal

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