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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. key — in music
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. swing — music
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. swing — in golf
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. key — for a lock
  12. key — the most important part
  13. chair — a leader
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. swing — to play on
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. fall — to drop
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. fall — to drop
  22. snap — to click
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. fall — the season

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