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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: ball · board · calf · deal · hide · key · bear · straw

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. key — in music
  4. bear — the animal
  5. ball — a great time
  6. board — a committee
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bear — the animal
  11. deal — to handle
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. ball — a dance
  17. key — for a lock
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. board — to get on
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. key — the most important part

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