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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. present — a gift
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. present — there
  6. rash — hasty
  7. lean — to bend
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. staff — employees
  10. present — the time now
  11. staff — employees
  12. kid — child
  13. field — a subject
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. staff — a stick
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. kid — to tease
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. lean — thin
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. field — farmland
  23. toast — bread
  24. field — for sport

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