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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 giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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 — in music
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. craft — a skill
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. craft — boats
  12. pit — a hole
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. cell — in biology
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. key — the most important part
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. pit — in a race
  20. chip — for betting
  21. cell — a phone
  22. chip — to eat
  23. pass — a permit
  24. calf — a young animal

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