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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. key — for a lock
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. last — finally
  6. bear — the animal
  7. rule — a law
  8. last — to go on
  9. court — of law
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. chest — a box
  12. last — final
  13. chest — of your body
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. court — of a king
  17. rule — government
  18. court — for sport
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. key — the most important part
  22. chest — of your body
  23. key — in music
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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