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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. fall — to drop
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bat — the animal
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. club — for dancing
  10. snap — to click
  11. firm — decided
  12. firm — steady
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. fall — to drop
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. firm — a company
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. club — for golf
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. fall — the season

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