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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. field — for sport
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. key — for a lock
  6. field — a subject
  7. track — a path
  8. cue — for pool
  9. cue — a signal
  10. key — in music
  11. mate — a partner
  12. field — farmland
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. track — to keep track
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. track — a song
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. mate — a friend
  19. lie — to recline
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. cue — a hint
  22. mate — to breed
  23. wake — a trail
  24. key — the most important part

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