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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: calf · key · row · bear · rest · drill · fan · spell

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. key — the most important part
  3. drill — army training
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. drill — a practice
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — a break
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. bear — the animal
  12. spell — a short time
  13. spell — magic
  14. row — a line
  15. key — for a lock
  16. key — in music
  17. drill — the tool
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. spell — letters
  20. row — to paddle
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bear — the animal
  24. row — a quarrel

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