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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 116 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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. key — the most important part
  4. face — to confront
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. face — part of the head
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. chair — a leader
  9. mug — a cup
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. content — happy
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. content — the amount
  15. kick — in football
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. mug — a face
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. face — to point toward
  21. mug — to rob
  22. key — for a lock
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. calf — of the leg

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