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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: ground · key · suit · track · object · bear · clip · calf

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. clip — a video
  3. suit — to fit
  4. track — to keep track
  5. key — in music
  6. key — for a lock
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. clip — to cut
  9. suit — in cards
  10. clip — for paper
  11. track — a path
  12. object — an aim
  13. object — a thing
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bear — the animal
  16. suit — clothes
  17. object — to protest
  18. key — the most important part
  19. ground — crushed
  20. track — a song
  21. ground — the earth
  22. bear — the animal
  23. ground — a position
  24. bear — to put up with

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