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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  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. key — the most important part
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. field — for sport
  4. chip — to eat
  5. chip — for betting
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. suit — to fit
  8. firm — a company
  9. firm — decided
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. key — for a lock
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. field — farmland
  15. suit — clothes
  16. field — a subject
  17. key — in music
  18. firm — steady
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. cell — in biology
  22. cell — a phone
  23. calf — a young animal
  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