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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.

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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. file — a tool
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. file — a document
  7. present — the time now
  8. bat — the animal
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. present — a gift
  12. shower — rain
  13. key — for a lock
  14. file — a line of people
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. shower — to wash
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. present — there
  20. key — the most important part
  21. key — in music
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bay — a horse colour

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