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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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. foot — a measure
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ground — a position
  5. ball — a great time
  6. ground — the earth
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bore — to tire
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. ground — crushed
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bulb — for light
  16. spring — the season
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. spring — of water
  20. bulb — for light
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ball — a dance
  24. spring — a coil

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