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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. rule — a law
  6. mate — to breed
  7. ball — a great time
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. key — in music
  11. rule — government
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. last — finally
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. mate — a partner
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. mate — a friend
  19. wake — a trail
  20. key — for a lock
  21. key — the most important part
  22. last — final
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. last — to go on

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