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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 120 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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. pitch — completely
  3. key — the most important part
  4. pop — music
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. pop — to visit
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bore — to tire
  11. key — for a lock
  12. swing — in golf
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. swing — to play on
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. pop — soda
  21. swing — music
  22. key — in music
  23. bore — to drill
  24. deal — to handle

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