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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. squash — to crush
  5. degree — temperature
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. current — electric
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. squash — the sport
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. fall — the season
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. degree — from a university
  16. current — happening now
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. current — of water
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. fall — to drop
  22. degree — an amount
  23. fall — to drop
  24. ruler — for measuring

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