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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: calf · suit · field · ball · fan · key · cold · stick

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. cold — not warm
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. key — the most important part
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. field — farmland
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. key — for a lock
  12. ball — a dance
  13. field — a subject
  14. field — for sport
  15. suit — clothes
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. suit — to fit
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. key — in music
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. cold — an illness
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. ball — a great time
  24. calf — of the leg

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