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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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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 · pass · hide · calf · roll · chair · bear · jam

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. key — for a lock
  3. roll — a list
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. key — in music
  6. pass — a permit
  7. bear — the animal
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. chair — a leader
  10. key — the most important part
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. roll — a cake
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bear — the animal

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