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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. suit — to fit
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. suit — in cards
  10. pitch — completely
  11. drill — the tool
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. ball — a dance
  14. stem — to come from
  15. drill — a practice
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. ball — a great time
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. drill — army training
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. suit — clothes

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