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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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 works in a ________________ mill.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. saw — the tool
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. chair — a leader
  5. craft — a skill
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. saw — the tool
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. craft — boats
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. key — in music
  19. band — a ring
  20. band — a music group
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. key — the most important part
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. pitcher — a jug

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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