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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. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. foot — a measure
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. present — there
  5. present — the time now
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. date — the fruit
  8. rash — a series
  9. can — to be able to
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. can — a tin
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. file — a document
  15. can — a tin
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. file — a tool
  18. rash — hasty
  19. present — a gift
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. file — a line of people
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. ball — a dance

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