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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 120 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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. ball — a dance
  3. rest — what's left
  4. ball — a great time
  5. dip — to sink
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. track — a path
  8. ground — a position
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. ground — the earth
  11. key — in music
  12. suit — in cards
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. suit — to fit
  16. rest — what's left
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. ground — crushed
  20. key — the most important part
  21. key — for a lock
  22. suit — clothes
  23. track — to keep track
  24. track — a song

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