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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. key — in music
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. land — to come down
  6. key — the most important part
  7. suit — in cards
  8. toast — bread
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. field — farmland
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. suit — clothes
  13. land — a country
  14. land — ground
  15. foot — a measure
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — to be able to
  19. can — a tin
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. key — for a lock
  22. field — a subject
  23. suit — to fit
  24. field — for sport

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