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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 didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. wake — a trail
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. object — a thing
  8. key — the most important part
  9. key — in music
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. object — an aim
  14. key — for a lock
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. bore — to tire
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. object — to protest
  23. plane — a tool
  24. bore — to drill

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