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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. squash — to crush
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. row — a line
  6. row — to paddle
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. key — the most important part
  10. cap — of ice
  11. squash — the sport
  12. pass — a permit
  13. cap — a hat
  14. craft — boats
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. cap — a lid
  18. bound — obliged
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. key — in music
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bound — certain
  24. craft — a skill

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