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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 have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. craft — boats
  3. bound — obliged
  4. foot — a measure
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. tear — from crying
  7. bound — certain
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. current — electric
  10. current — happening now
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bound — tied together
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. craft — a skill
  15. pound — a weight
  16. bass — low music
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. tear — from crying
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. tear — to rip
  24. current — of water

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