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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. staff — a stick
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. staff — employees
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. present — a gift
  9. rash — hasty
  10. swing — in golf
  11. swing — to play on
  12. present — there
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. key — for a lock
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. swing — music
  17. key — in music
  18. staff — employees
  19. rash — a series
  20. key — the most important part
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. present — the time now
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. rash — on the skin

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