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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. roll — a cake
  5. fine — high quality
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. deal — to handle
  11. wound — an injury
  12. foot — a measure
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. roll — a list
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bat — the animal
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. fine — all right
  23. wound — an injury
  24. foot — part of the body

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