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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 120 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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. track — to keep track
  5. key — for a lock
  6. key — in music
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. key — the most important part
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. lean — thin
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. ball — a dance
  16. ball — a great time
  17. rest — a break
  18. rest — what's left
  19. track — a song
  20. rest — what's left
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. lean — to bend
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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