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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'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. squash — to crush
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. suit — to fit
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. present — there
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. present — the time now
  13. game — a match
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. game — wild animals
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. plane — a tool
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. present — a gift
  20. kid — to tease
  21. kid — child
  22. suit — in cards
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. suit — clothes

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