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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. cap — a hat
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. court — of law
  5. court — of a king
  6. land — to come down
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. court — for sport
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. suit — in cards
  13. mug — a cup
  14. land — a country
  15. land — ground
  16. cap — of ice
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. mug — to rob
  19. suit — to fit
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. cap — a lid
  22. mug — a face
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. toast — bread

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