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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. mug — a face
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. shower — rain
  7. key — the most important part
  8. current — of water
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. mug — to rob
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. mug — a cup
  13. current — electric
  14. fine — high quality
  15. game — wild animals
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. game — a match
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. key — for a lock
  21. fine — all right
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. current — happening now
  24. shower — to wash

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