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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. foot — a measure
  3. drill — a practice
  4. perch — the fish
  5. cue — for pool
  6. bark — to shout
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. drill — army training
  11. pop — to visit
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. cue — a hint
  16. pop — soda
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. pop — music
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. cue — a signal
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. drill — the tool

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