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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. can — to be able to
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. can — a tin
  7. cap — of ice
  8. key — in music
  9. bass — low music
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. can — a tin
  13. rash — a series
  14. cap — a hat
  15. rash — hasty
  16. cap — a lid
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. rush — hurry
  19. bass — the fish
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. key — for a lock
  24. straw — a straw man

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