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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  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. key — in music
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bass — low music
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. bulb — for light
  8. key — the most important part
  9. bulb — for light
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. cue — a signal
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. cue — for pool
  19. bass — the fish
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. saw — the tool
  23. cue — a hint
  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