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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. perch — the fish
  4. current — electric
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rest — what's left
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. pit — a hole
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. rest — a break
  14. current — of water
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. current — happening now
  19. tube — the underground
  20. pit — in a race
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. foot — a measure

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