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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 120 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 got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. field — a subject
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — employees
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. current — of water
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. staff — a stick
  10. bore — to tire
  11. current — happening now
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. field — for sport
  14. foot — a measure
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. field — farmland
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. current — electric
  22. bore — to drill
  23. fine — all right
  24. fine — high quality

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