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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. ball — a great time
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. firm — a company
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. wake — a trail
  13. game — wild animals
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. kid — to tease
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. firm — decided
  18. kid — child
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. firm — steady
  21. foot — a measure
  22. plane — a tool
  23. ball — a dance
  24. calf — a young animal

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