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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. rest — what's left
  4. tube — the underground
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. saw — the tool
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. rest — a break
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. kick — in football
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. tube — a container
  17. key — in music
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. rest — what's left
  20. key — the most important part
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. key — for a lock

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