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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 giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. rock — a stone
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. rock — music
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. bound — certain
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. kid — child
  12. kid — to tease
  13. bound — tied together
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. key — in music
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. key — the most important part
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. key — for a lock
  22. bound — obliged
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. trunk — of a tree

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