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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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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. row — to paddle
  4. roll — a cake
  5. row — a line
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. rest — a break
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. rash — a series
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. rash — hasty
  13. rest — what's left
  14. roll — a list
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. net — for catching
  19. fork — in a road
  20. rest — what's left
  21. net — in sport
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. net — after costs
  24. roll — on a roll

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