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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — employees
  5. band — a ring
  6. bulb — for light
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. foot — a measure
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. band — a music group
  17. staff — a stick
  18. bulb — for light
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. plane — a tool
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. roll — a cake
  24. plane — in geometry

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