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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. season — of the year
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. pop — soda
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. suit — to fit
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. drill — a practice
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. drill — army training
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. pop — to visit
  15. suit — clothes
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. suit — in cards
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. drill — the tool
  23. can — a tin
  24. season — in sport

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