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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. content — happy
  4. sharp — clever
  5. tube — a container
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. staff — employees
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. staff — employees
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. foot — a measure
  19. tube — the underground
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. content — the amount
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. staff — a stick

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