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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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468
Word bank
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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. ground — crushed
  3. deal — to handle
  4. key — in music
  5. snap — to click
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. ground — the earth
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. key — for a lock
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. last — finally
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. last — final
  17. key — the most important part
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. ground — a position
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. deal — a big deal

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