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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. rash — hasty
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. club — a group
  11. ball — a dance
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. club — for dancing
  19. foot — a measure
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ball — a great time
  22. bass — low music
  23. club — for golf
  24. rash — on the skin

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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