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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: fork · mate · pass · calf · racket · wound · suit · lie

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. mate — to breed
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — to recline
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. fork — in a road
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. wound — an injury
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. suit — clothes
  11. mate — a friend
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. mate — a partner
  18. wound — an injury
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. pass — a permit
  23. suit — in cards
  24. suit — to fit

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