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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. cold — not warm
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. prune — to trim
  6. ball — a great time
  7. cold — an illness
  8. cue — for pool
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. lean — to bend
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. cue — a hint
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. prune — to trim
  20. cue — a signal
  21. lean — thin
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. ball — a dance
  24. foot — a measure

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