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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. snap — to click
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. land — to come down
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. bank — for money
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. stand — to bear
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. bank — for money
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bank — of a river
  17. land — ground
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. land — a country
  21. mark — a trace
  22. key — in music
  23. mark — a grade
  24. key — the most important part

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