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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: bat · key · calf · safe · march · staff · kick · hide

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. march — the month
  3. key — in music
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. march — music
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. key — the most important part
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. staff — a stick
  12. march — the month
  13. staff — employees
  14. bat — the animal
  15. kick — in football
  16. key — for a lock
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. calf — a young 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