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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 always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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. leaves — lets stay
  4. cap — of ice
  5. fine — all right
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. face — part of the head
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. cap — a lid
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. suit — clothes
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. face — to point toward
  19. suit — to fit
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. face — to confront
  22. fine — high quality
  23. cap — a hat
  24. leaves — 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