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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. key — the most important part
  3. key — for a lock
  4. chip — to eat
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bulb — for light
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. rock — music
  10. wake — a trail
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. degree — from a university
  14. chip — for betting
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. key — in music
  19. rock — a stone
  20. bulb — for light
  21. degree — temperature
  22. lie — to recline
  23. degree — an amount
  24. wake — before a funeral

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