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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: clip · calf · date · key · staff · mug · land · pass

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. staff — a stick
  3. pass — a permit
  4. clip — for paper
  5. land — to come down
  6. staff — employees
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. land — a country
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. clip — a video
  11. clip — to cut
  12. staff — employees
  13. key — the most important part
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. mug — a cup
  17. mug — a face
  18. mug — to rob
  19. key — in music
  20. key — for a lock
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. land — ground
  24. date — the fruit

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