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

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. drill — army training
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. drill — the tool
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. lean — thin
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. lean — to bend
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. foot — a measure
  17. drill — a practice
  18. foot — part of the body

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