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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. fall — to drop
  3. swing — to play on
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. can — a tin
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. swing — in golf
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. key — for a lock
  13. key — in music
  14. fall — the season
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. fall — to drop
  17. swing — music
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. can — to be able to
  21. can — a tin
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. calf — a young animal

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