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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. object — to protest
  3. tear — to rip
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. hand — in cards
  6. rock — a stone
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. object — a thing
  12. deal — to handle
  13. club — for dancing
  14. tear — from crying
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. hand — help
  17. club — for golf
  18. foot — a measure
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. rock — music
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. tear — from crying
  24. club — a group

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