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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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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. tear — from crying
  3. tear — from crying
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. key — the most important part
  6. key — in music
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. fine — high quality
  9. cell — in biology
  10. bank — of a river
  11. fine — all right
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. mug — to rob
  14. snap — to click
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. mug — a cup
  18. bank — for money
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. mug — a face
  21. tear — to rip
  22. bank — for money
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. key — for a lock

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