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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. mate — a friend
  4. cell — in biology
  5. band — a ring
  6. key — the most important part
  7. key — for a lock
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. key — in music
  10. fine — all right
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. mate — a partner
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. band — a music group
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ball — a great time
  18. cell — a phone
  19. suit — to fit
  20. mate — to breed
  21. suit — in cards
  22. fine — high quality
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. band — a rubber band

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