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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. shower — to wash
  3. prune — to trim
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. suit — to fit
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. last — final
  10. last — to go on
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. object — a thing
  14. shower — rain
  15. suit — in cards
  16. object — an aim
  17. prune — to trim
  18. rash — a series
  19. last — finally
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. object — to protest
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. rash — hasty

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