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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 116 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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cue — a hint
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. mine — for digging
  10. suit — in cards
  11. suit — to fit
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. ball — a great time
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. branch — a division
  17. bear — the animal
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. cue — a signal
  23. suit — clothes
  24. hide — to keep secret

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