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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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. suit — in cards
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. fall — to drop
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. face — to confront
  9. suit — clothes
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. face — part of the head
  12. face — to point toward
  13. fall — the season
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. swing — music
  16. fall — to drop
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. swing — to play on
  20. chip — to eat
  21. suit — to fit
  22. chip — for betting
  23. swing — in golf
  24. trunk — of a tree

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