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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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Word bank
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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: snap · suit · track · fork · board · face · patient · calf

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. face — to confront
  4. board — to get on
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. track — to keep track
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. board — a committee
  10. track — a song
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. face — to point toward
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. suit — to fit
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. snap — to click
  19. suit — in cards
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. fork — in a road
  22. face — part of the head
  23. track — a path
  24. calf — a young animal

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