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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. staff — a stick
  5. chest — of your body
  6. key — for a lock
  7. staff — employees
  8. wax — to grow
  9. chest — of your body
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. key — in music
  13. staff — employees
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. key — the most important part
  17. cap — a hat
  18. chest — a box
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. cap — of ice
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. cap — a lid

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