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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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. mate — a friend
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. rash — hasty
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. key — in music
  8. bear — the animal
  9. mate — to breed
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. key — for a lock
  12. bear — the animal
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. foot — a measure
  16. cell — a phone
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. mate — a partner
  19. rash — a series
  20. object — a thing
  21. cell — in biology
  22. object — an aim
  23. object — to protest
  24. foot — part of the body

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