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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. rest — what's left
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. suit — to fit
  7. rest — a break
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. mine — for digging
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. rest — what's left
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. shower — rain
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. suit — clothes
  21. foot — a measure
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. plane — a tool
  24. suit — in cards

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