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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. key — the most important part
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. key — for a lock
  12. content — the amount
  13. perch — the fish
  14. chair — a leader
  15. deal — to handle
  16. content — happy
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. calf — a young animal

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