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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. cell — in biology
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. wake — a trail
  6. march — the month
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. pit — a hole
  9. pit — in a race
  10. march — music
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. chip — for betting
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. cell — a phone
  21. march — the month
  22. suit — clothes
  23. suit — in cards
  24. chip — to eat

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