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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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. craft — a skill
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. key — the most important part
  5. pitch — completely
  6. spell — magic
  7. craft — boats
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. key — for a lock
  13. last — to go on
  14. spell — a short time
  15. last — finally
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. key — in music
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bore — to drill
  20. spell — letters
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. last — final

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