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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bear — the animal
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. ball — a dance
  6. band — a ring
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. wound — an injury
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. ball — a great time
  13. suit — clothes
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. band — a music group
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bear — the animal
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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