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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. bulb — for light
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. last — to go on
  8. suit — to fit
  9. ball — a dance
  10. pop — soda
  11. ball — a great time
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. pop — to visit
  14. last — finally
  15. suit — clothes
  16. object — a thing
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. object — to protest
  19. pop — music
  20. suit — in cards
  21. object — an aim
  22. last — final
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. pass — a permit

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