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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. drill — the tool
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. roll — a cake
  14. lean — thin
  15. drill — army training
  16. roll — a list
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. pitch — completely
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. lean — to bend
  23. foot — a measure
  24. calf — a young animal

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