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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. key — in music
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. last — to go on
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. last — finally
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. key — the most important part
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. fine — high quality
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. fine — all right
  18. dip — to sink
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. last — final
  21. key — for a lock
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. sharp — clever
  24. dip — to dunk

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