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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. key — for a lock
  3. key — the most important part
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. rock — music
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. ground — the earth
  12. ground — a position
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. file — a tool
  15. ground — crushed
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. key — in music
  19. file — a document
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. rock — a stone
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. file — a line of people
  24. rock — to move gently

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