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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. fine — high quality
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. key — for a lock
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. chair — a leader
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. tube — the underground
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. season — in sport
  13. current — of water
  14. key — in music
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. fine — all right
  19. current — happening now
  20. season — of the year
  21. current — electric
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. key — the most important part

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