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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. cue — for pool
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. rest — what's left
  6. clip — a video
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. foot — a measure
  10. rest — a break
  11. squash — to crush
  12. cue — a signal
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. clip — for paper
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. game — a match
  18. clip — to cut
  19. squash — the sport
  20. game — wild animals
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. cue — a hint
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. rest — what's left

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