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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: kid · march · suit · nail · toast · racket · can · calf

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. suit — clothes
  3. can — to be able to
  4. kid — to tease
  5. toast — bread
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. march — the month
  8. march — music
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. march — the month
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. can — a tin
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. kid — child
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. can — a tin
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — in cards
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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