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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 protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. row — a line
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. key — the most important part
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. row — to paddle
  10. vault — a safe
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bear — the animal
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. rock — a stone
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. content — happy
  18. key — for a lock
  19. lie — to recline
  20. key — in music
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. rock — music
  23. content — the amount
  24. calf — of the leg

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