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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. fall — the season
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. roll — a cake
  9. degree — temperature
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. saw — the tool
  12. band — a music group
  13. saw — the tool
  14. fall — to drop
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. roll — a list
  17. foot — a measure
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. degree — from a university
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. band — a ring
  22. degree — an amount
  23. fall — to drop
  24. roll — on a roll

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