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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 giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  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 — a young animal
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. sharp — clever
  5. fall — to drop
  6. club — for dancing
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. fall — the season
  10. club — for golf
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. content — the amount
  14. content — happy
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. club — a group
  19. fine — high quality
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. suit — to fit
  22. fine — all right
  23. suit — in cards
  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