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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. key — for a lock
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. plane — a tool
  9. can — to be able to
  10. can — a tin
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. can — a tin
  13. key — in music
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. mate — a partner
  16. mate — to breed
  17. mate — a friend
  18. bat — the animal
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. season — in sport
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. season — of the year
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. key — the most important part

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