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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. suit — clothes
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. hand — help
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. suit — in cards
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. hand — in cards
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. pit — a hole
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. spell — magic
  20. bat — the animal
  21. spell — a short time
  22. spell — letters
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. suit — to fit

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