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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. chair — a leader
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. ball — a dance
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. spring — a coil
  11. spring — the season
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. key — for a lock
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. key — in music
  17. present — there
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. present — a gift
  21. present — the time now
  22. ball — a great time
  23. pass — a permit
  24. key — the most important part

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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