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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 120 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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  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. calf — of the leg
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. tube — the underground
  4. field — farmland
  5. field — a subject
  6. suit — to fit
  7. club — for golf
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. tube — a container
  10. track — a song
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. field — for sport
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. club — for dancing
  16. track — to keep track
  17. club — a group
  18. suit — in cards
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. track — a path
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. tube — in a tire
  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