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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. key — for a lock
  3. band — a ring
  4. stock — goods
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. key — the most important part
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. key — in music
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. lie — to recline
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. spell — letters
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. spell — a short time
  17. stock — shares
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. spell — magic
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. band — a music group

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