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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: key · calf · bay · season · present · mouse · spell · wake

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. present — a gift
  4. wake — a trail
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. key — for a lock
  7. present — the time now
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. season — in sport
  11. spell — magic
  12. present — there
  13. spell — letters
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. key — in music
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. season — of the year
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. spell — a short time
  24. wake — before a funeral

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