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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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. perch — for a bird
  4. tube — a container
  5. key — for a lock
  6. cue — a hint
  7. bank — of a river
  8. tube — the underground
  9. perch — the fish
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. key — in music
  12. bank — for money
  13. march — the month
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. pit — a hole
  16. cue — a signal
  17. march — music
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pit — in a race
  20. march — the month
  21. cue — for pool
  22. bank — for money
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. tube — in a tire

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