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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 116 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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. suit — to fit
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. chip — for betting
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. band — a music group
  10. sharp — clever
  11. key — for a lock
  12. chip — to eat
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. fork — in a road
  18. band — a ring
  19. suit — in cards
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. key — the most important part
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. pound — a weight
  24. key — in music

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