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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. suit — to fit
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. file — a tool
  5. firm — steady
  6. fork — in a road
  7. game — wild animals
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. firm — decided
  11. suit — clothes
  12. pit — a hole
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. file — a line of people
  16. firm — a company
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. game — a match
  19. file — a document
  20. pit — in a race
  21. mug — a face
  22. suit — in cards
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. mug — to rob

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