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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. pit — in a race
  4. kid — to tease
  5. key — the most important part
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. key — for a lock
  8. kid — child
  9. kick — in football
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. lean — to bend
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. lean — thin
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. roll — a cake
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. pit — a hole
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. key — in music

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