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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 was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  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. ball — a great time
  2. mug — a face
  3. file — a document
  4. foot — a measure
  5. ball — a dance
  6. mug — to rob
  7. object — a thing
  8. mark — a grade
  9. mug — a cup
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. file — a line of people
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. object — to protest
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. mark — a trace
  18. object — an aim
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. file — a tool
  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