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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. track — a song
  3. track — to keep track
  4. track — a path
  5. suit — to fit
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. chair — a leader
  8. pitch — completely
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. suit — in cards
  16. court — of a king
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. snap — to click
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. court — for sport
  24. court — of law

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