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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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. clip — a video
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. drill — the tool
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. drill — a practice
  12. clip — for paper
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. drill — army training
  16. deal — to handle
  17. clip — to cut
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. key — the most important part
  20. key — in music
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. key — for a lock
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. arm — a part of something

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