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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. cue — a hint
  3. clip — to cut
  4. craft — a skill
  5. bore — to drill
  6. suit — in cards
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. cue — a signal
  9. clip — for paper
  10. cue — for pool
  11. land — ground
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bore — to tire
  14. land — a country
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. suit — to fit
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. land — to come down
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. craft — boats
  24. clip — a video

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