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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. key — in music
  5. rock — a stone
  6. key — for a lock
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. spell — a short time
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. mug — a cup
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. spell — magic
  14. staff — employees
  15. spell — letters
  16. staff — a stick
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. key — the most important part
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. mug — to rob
  23. mug — a face
  24. staff — employees

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