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

Word bank: key · game · bay · tear · cue · bear · mug · calf

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. game — a match
  6. bear — the animal
  7. mug — a face
  8. cue — for pool
  9. mug — a cup
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. tear — to rip
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. cue — a hint
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. key — for a lock
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. tear — from crying
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. key — the most important part
  20. cue — a signal
  21. mug — to rob
  22. game — wild animals
  23. bear — the animal
  24. tear — from crying

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