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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. cap — of ice
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. kick — in football
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. key — the most important part
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. shower — to wash
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. shower — rain
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. key — in music
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. cap — a hat
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. bat — the animal
  23. cap — a lid
  24. kick — with a leg

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