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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. rest — what's left
  3. present — the time now
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — to be able to
  7. present — a gift
  8. can — a tin
  9. key — for a lock
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. key — in music
  12. rest — a break
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. rest — what's left
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. present — there
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. wind — moving air
  20. key — the most important part
  21. wind — moving air
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. wind — to turn a key

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