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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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. bulb — for light
  4. swing — in golf
  5. suit — in cards
  6. key — the most important part
  7. foot — a measure
  8. key — for a lock
  9. swing — music
  10. swing — to play on
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. degree — temperature
  15. bulb — for light
  16. degree — an amount
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. suit — clothes
  19. degree — from a university
  20. suit — to fit
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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