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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. race — the arms race
  7. race — humankind
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. suit — in cards
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. race — a contest
  13. snap — to click
  14. file — a document
  15. file — a tool
  16. bulb — for light
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bulb — for light
  19. file — a line of people
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. fan — a supporter

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