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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. pit — a hole
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. mate — a partner
  8. track — a path
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. staff — a stick
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. fork — in a road
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. mate — a friend
  18. staff — employees
  19. mate — to breed
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. pit — in a race
  22. staff — employees
  23. track — to keep track
  24. sharp — clever

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