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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 · calf · wind · hide · tube · mate · coach · foot

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. mate — a friend
  4. key — the most important part
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. mate — a partner
  7. wind — moving air
  8. key — in music
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. foot — a measure
  17. mate — to breed
  18. key — for a lock
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. tube — a container
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. tube — the underground

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