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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. cue — a signal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. swing — to play on
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. swing — music
  9. suit — clothes
  10. cue — a hint
  11. suit — to fit
  12. swing — in golf
  13. suit — in cards
  14. branch — a division
  15. pop — to visit
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. bear — the animal
  18. pop — soda
  19. pop — music
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. cue — for pool
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bear — to put up with

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