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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: suit · firm · calf · fork · toast · pop · fall · cap

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. fall — the season
  4. suit — to fit
  5. firm — a company
  6. fall — to drop
  7. suit — clothes
  8. pop — to visit
  9. toast — bread
  10. cap — a hat
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fork — in a road
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. firm — decided
  17. cap — of ice
  18. pop — music
  19. firm — steady
  20. suit — in cards
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. cap — a lid

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