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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. fine — high quality
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. swing — in golf
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. deal — to handle
  7. prune — to trim
  8. swing — music
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. suit — in cards
  11. date — the fruit
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. face — to point toward
  14. face — part of the head
  15. fine — all right
  16. suit — clothes
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. swing — to play on
  21. face — to confront
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. deal — an agreement

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