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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. key — for a lock
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. chip — to eat
  12. saw — the tool
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. key — in music
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. saw — the tool
  21. chip — for betting
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bass — the fish
  24. bass — low music

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