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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. key — for a lock
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. key — in music
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. race — the arms race
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. last — to go on
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. race — a contest
  13. last — finally
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. last — final
  17. firm — decided
  18. race — humankind
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. firm — steady
  21. firm — a company
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bear — the animal
  24. key — the most important part

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