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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 reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. tear — to rip
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. wake — a trail
  7. pass — a permit
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. key — in music
  10. key — for a lock
  11. tear — from crying
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bound — certain
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. tear — from crying
  19. ball — a dance
  20. ball — a great time
  21. bound — obliged
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. key — the most important part

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