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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: tube · spell · suit · sharp · staff · calf · bat · pop

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. spell — a short time
  5. pop — music
  6. suit — to fit
  7. tube — a container
  8. sharp — clever
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. pop — to visit
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. pop — soda
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. bat — the animal
  16. staff — employees
  17. suit — clothes
  18. tube — the underground
  19. spell — magic
  20. staff — a stick
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. spell — letters
  23. staff — employees
  24. suit — in cards

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