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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.

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: key · tube · kick · hide · wake · perch · calf · ball

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  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. hide — to keep secret
  2. key — for a lock
  3. wake — a trail
  4. key — in music
  5. perch — the fish
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. tube — a container
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. ball — a great time
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. kick — in football
  21. tube — the underground
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. ball — a dance
  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