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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 had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. roll — a list
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. key — in music
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. row — to paddle
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. ball — a great time
  11. land — ground
  12. land — to come down
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. land — a country
  15. ball — a dance
  16. row — a line
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. key — for a lock
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. roll — a cake
  22. foot — a measure
  23. key — the most important part
  24. calf — of the leg

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