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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 broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. mate — a partner
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. press — newspapers
  5. key — in music
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. press — to push
  10. mate — a friend
  11. suit — clothes
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pound — a weight
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. mate — to breed
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. key — the most important part
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. press — a publisher
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. key — for a lock
  23. suit — to fit
  24. suit — in cards

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