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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. suit — clothes
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stock — goods
  5. stock — shares
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. prune — to trim
  8. prune — to trim
  9. rule — a law
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — in cards
  13. rule — government
  14. key — the most important part
  15. bat — the animal
  16. snap — to click
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. key — for a lock
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. key — in music

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