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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 116 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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. degree — temperature
  4. key — in music
  5. craft — a skill
  6. craft — boats
  7. pop — soda
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. degree — an amount
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. degree — from a university
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. pop — to visit
  20. pop — music
  21. key — for a lock
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. key — the most important part
  24. kick — in football

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