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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. foot — a measure
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. stock — shares
  6. tube — a container
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. stock — goods
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. foot — the bottom

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