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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. row — a line
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. field — farmland
  6. field — a subject
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. foot — a measure
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. row — to paddle
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. field — for sport
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. pass — a permit

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