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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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. key — the most important part
  4. bound — obliged
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. track — a song
  7. board — a committee
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. net — in sport
  11. lie — to recline
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. track — to keep track
  14. board — to get on
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. bound — tied together
  17. track — a path
  18. net — after costs
  19. bound — certain
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. key — for a lock
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. key — in music
  24. net — for catching

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