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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. rash — a series
  4. mark — a trace
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. fine — high quality
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. mark — a grade
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. rash — hasty
  15. fine — all right
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. calf — of the leg

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