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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  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. calf — a young animal
  2. foot — a measure
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. pit — a hole
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. present — there
  7. firm — decided
  8. firm — steady
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. pitch — completely
  12. present — the time now
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. mark — a grade
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. present — a gift
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. firm — a company
  22. pit — in a race
  23. calf — of the leg
  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