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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. suit — in cards
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. suit — clothes
  6. kick — in football
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. band — a music group
  13. stem — to come from
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — the tool
  18. band — a ring
  19. ball — a dance
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. suit — to fit
  23. calf — of the leg
  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