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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. key — for a lock
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. foot — a measure
  11. wound — an injury
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. key — in music
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. wound — an injury
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — for light
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. key — the most important part

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