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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. suit — clothes
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bulb — for light
  7. face — to point toward
  8. face — to confront
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. bat — the animal
  15. suit — to fit
  16. squash — the sport
  17. ball — a dance
  18. bulb — for light
  19. squash — to crush
  20. ball — a great time
  21. suit — in cards
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. face — part of the head

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