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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. bore — to tire
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. fork — in a road
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. pit — a hole
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. sharp — clever
  12. pit — in a race
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. bore — to drill
  15. cell — a phone
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. cell — in biology
  19. foot — a measure
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. sharp — with an edge

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