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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: object · hide · wave · leaves · swing · key · calf · cell

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. key — in music
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. object — to protest
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. object — a thing
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. key — the most important part
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. swing — in golf
  16. swing — music
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. key — for a lock
  19. cell — in biology
  20. swing — to play on
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. cell — a phone
  24. object — an aim

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