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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  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. calf — a young animal
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. mark — a trace
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. ball — a dance
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. field — for sport
  8. current — happening now
  9. current — of water
  10. key — for a lock
  11. ball — a great time
  12. field — a subject
  13. key — the most important part
  14. field — farmland
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. current — electric
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  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