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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. hand — help
  6. rest — a break
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. key — the most important part
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. hand — in cards
  11. perch — the fish
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. rest — what's left
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. key — for a lock
  19. bulb — for light
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bulb — for light
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. perch — for a bird

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