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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: suit · tube · season · land · rest · calf · toast · key

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. rest — what's left
  3. toast — bread
  4. suit — to fit
  5. tube — the underground
  6. key — the most important part
  7. land — a country
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. season — of the year
  11. suit — in cards
  12. land — to come down
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. tube — a container
  15. suit — clothes
  16. season — in sport
  17. land — ground
  18. key — in music
  19. rest — what's left
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. rest — a break
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. key — for a lock

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