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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. ground — a position
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. staff — employees
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. staff — a stick
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. ground — crushed
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. foot — a measure
  17. ground — the earth
  18. lie — to recline

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