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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bore — to tire
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. spell — magic
  7. march — the month
  8. suit — to fit
  9. suit — clothes
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. spell — letters
  14. spell — a short time
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. suit — in cards
  18. wake — a trail
  19. bore — to drill
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. march — music
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. march — the month

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