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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. net — in sport
  5. kid — child
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. net — after costs
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. sharp — clever
  16. suit — clothes
  17. net — for catching
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — in cards
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. kid — to tease

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