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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. key — the most important part
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bear — the animal
  5. race — a contest
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. race — humankind
  8. race — the arms race
  9. key — for a lock
  10. key — in music
  11. press — a publisher
  12. cell — a phone
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. dip — to sink
  16. press — to push
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. press — newspapers
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bear — the animal
  24. cell — in biology

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