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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. key — for a lock
  3. land — ground
  4. key — the most important part
  5. deal — to handle
  6. ball — a dance
  7. object — a thing
  8. key — in music
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. land — a country
  13. bank — of a river
  14. land — to come down
  15. stand — to bear
  16. bank — for money
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. object — to protest
  19. bank — for money
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. ball — a great time
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. object — an aim
  24. stand — for spectators

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