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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. suit — to fit
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. race — humankind
  6. kick — in football
  7. track — to keep track
  8. race — the arms race
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. suit — clothes
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. track — a path
  16. ball — a great time
  17. fine — all right
  18. sharp — clever
  19. race — a contest
  20. ball — a dance
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. fine — high quality
  23. track — a song
  24. sharp — exactly

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