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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bat — the animal
  6. suit — in cards
  7. stand — to bear
  8. saw — the tool
  9. kid — to tease
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. kid — child
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. saw — the tool

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