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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 always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. present — there
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. key — in music
  5. deal — to handle
  6. game — a match
  7. game — wild animals
  8. dip — to sink
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. ground — the earth
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. ground — crushed
  13. present — a gift
  14. present — the time now
  15. key — for a lock
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. key — the most important part
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. ground — a position
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. calf — of the leg

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