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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. cue — a signal
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. kick — in football
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. cue — a hint
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. bound — certain
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. bound — tied together
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cue — for pool
  20. key — for a lock
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. bound — obliged
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. key — in music

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