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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. object — an aim
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. object — a thing
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. key — for a lock
  10. key — in music
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. sharp — clever
  16. stock — goods
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. key — the most important part
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. mine — for digging
  22. stock — shares
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. plane — a tool

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