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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 120 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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. degree — an amount
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. rock — music
  5. fork — in a road
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. degree — from a university
  8. bank — for money
  9. present — a gift
  10. bank — for money
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. present — there
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. key — for a lock
  15. degree — temperature
  16. key — in music
  17. bank — of a river
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. present — the time now
  23. rock — a stone
  24. fork — to eat with

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