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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.

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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. key — the most important part
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. firm — decided
  5. bear — the animal
  6. key — in music
  7. firm — steady
  8. key — for a lock
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. chair — a leader
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. firm — a company
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. bear — the animal
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. stem — to come from

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