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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. key — the most important part
  4. can — a tin
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. key — in music
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. can — to be able to
  9. season — of the year
  10. rule — a law
  11. can — a tin
  12. season — in sport
  13. squash — the sport
  14. cue — a signal
  15. cue — for pool
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. squash — to crush
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. cue — a hint
  24. rule — government

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