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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 had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. staff — a stick
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. fine — all right
  6. staff — employees
  7. suit — to fit
  8. staff — employees
  9. date — the fruit
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. clip — for paper
  13. suit — clothes
  14. clip — to cut
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. fine — high quality
  22. suit — in cards
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. clip — a video

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