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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 116 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: mate · racket · key · ball · hide · calf · stick · wake

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. mate — to breed
  3. key — in music
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. ball — a great time
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. key — the most important part
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. mate — a partner
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. ball — a dance
  14. key — for a lock
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. mate — a friend
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. wake — a trail
  24. racket — for tennis

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