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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. key — the most important part
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. foot — a measure
  6. key — for a lock
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. rest — what's left
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. key — in music
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. suit — to fit
  17. pass — a permit
  18. content — happy
  19. content — the amount
  20. rest — what's left
  21. suit — in cards
  22. suit — clothes
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. rest — a break

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