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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. suit — in cards
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. club — for golf
  6. suit — clothes
  7. mate — to breed
  8. present — there
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. file — a tool
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. suit — to fit
  13. present — the time now
  14. present — a gift
  15. file — a line of people
  16. file — a document
  17. mate — a friend
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. mate — a partner
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. club — a group
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bowl — a football final

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