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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 giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. scale — size or range
  3. scale — in music
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. plane — a tool
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. hand — in cards
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. bulb — for light
  16. foot — a measure
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. bulb — for light
  21. hand — help
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. content — the amount
  24. content — happy

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