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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 116 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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. firm — decided
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. suit — clothes
  7. firm — a company
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. track — a path
  10. firm — steady
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. club — for dancing
  13. cell — in biology
  14. track — to keep track
  15. capital — money
  16. track — a song
  17. capital — a city
  18. suit — to fit
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. club — a group
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. cell — a phone
  23. suit — in cards
  24. club — for golf

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