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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. rock — a stone
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. pass — a permit
  7. drill — army training
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. key — the most important part
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. ball — a great time
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. drill — a practice
  15. key — in music
  16. squash — to crush
  17. drill — the tool
  18. plane — a tool
  19. key — for a lock
  20. squash — the sport
  21. ball — a dance
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. rock — music

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