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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. suit — to fit
  3. suit — in cards
  4. race — the arms race
  5. club — a group
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. suit — clothes
  8. net — in sport
  9. club — for golf
  10. race — a contest
  11. race — humankind
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. row — a line
  15. net — after costs
  16. row — to paddle
  17. pit — a hole
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. kick — in football
  20. pit — in a race
  21. net — for catching
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. club — for dancing

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