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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 116 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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. shower — to wash
  3. cue — a hint
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. suit — clothes
  6. suit — to fit
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. object — an aim
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. suit — in cards
  12. cue — for pool
  13. key — in music
  14. shower — rain
  15. bank — of a river
  16. object — to protest
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. object — a thing
  19. cue — a signal
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — for money
  22. mine — for digging
  23. key — the most important part
  24. calf — of the leg

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