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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. object — a thing
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. pass — a permit
  5. key — for a lock
  6. face — to confront
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. object — an aim
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. object — to protest
  15. face — to point toward
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. face — part of the head
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. key — the most important part
  22. key — in music
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. calf — a young animal

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