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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: cold · rest · key · snap · dip · charge · calf · foot

  1. The water is too ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  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. cold — not warm
  2. key — in music
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. rest — a break
  7. rest — what's left
  8. key — the most important part
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. dip — to sink
  11. charge — in control
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. rest — what's left
  18. snap — to click
  19. charge — a price
  20. cold — an illness
  21. charge — electricity
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. foot — a measure
  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