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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. suit — clothes
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. scale — size or range
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. scale — in music
  9. present — a gift
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. present — the time now
  13. bark — to shout
  14. saw — the tool
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. suit — to fit
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. saw — the tool
  21. pass — a permit
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. present — there

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