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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. suit — clothes
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. branch — a division
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. ball — a great time
  10. ground — crushed
  11. band — a ring
  12. band — a music group
  13. rash — hasty
  14. rash — a series
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. suit — in cards
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ground — a position
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. ground — the earth
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. pass — a permit

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