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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. pop — to visit
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. pop — soda
  8. snap — to click
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. staff — employees
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. clip — to cut
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. cap — a lid
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. clip — for paper
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. clip — a video
  21. cap — a hat
  22. staff — employees
  23. cap — of ice
  24. staff — a stick

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