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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. hand — in cards
  4. can — to be able to
  5. can — a tin
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. club — for golf
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. season — of the year
  11. foot — a measure
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. field — farmland
  15. club — for dancing
  16. wake — a trail
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. field — for sport
  19. season — in sport
  20. club — a group
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. can — a tin
  23. field — a subject
  24. hand — 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