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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. track — a path
  4. key — the most important part
  5. roll — a list
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. bear — the animal
  10. cue — a hint
  11. track — a song
  12. cue — a signal
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. track — to keep track
  15. key — in music
  16. cue — for pool
  17. bear — the animal
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. key — for a lock
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bore — to tire
  24. fan — a supporter

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