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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. chip — for betting
  4. file — a line of people
  5. file — a tool
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ball — a dance
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. last — finally
  15. foot — a measure
  16. last — to go on
  17. last — final
  18. file — a document
  19. chip — to eat
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. plane — a tool
  22. ball — a great time
  23. calf — a young animal
  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