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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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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. key — in music
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. cap — a hat
  5. key — for a lock
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. cap — a lid
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. chest — of your body
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. kick — in football
  14. chest — of your body
  15. chest — a box
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. cap — of ice
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. pitch — completely
  24. key — the most important part

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