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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. key — in music
  5. field — a subject
  6. deal — to handle
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. field — for sport
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. squash — to crush
  14. key — for a lock
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. rash — a series
  18. squash — the sport
  19. field — farmland
  20. pitch — completely
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. rash — hasty
  24. cabinet — ministers

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