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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 120 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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. fork — in a road
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. wound — an injury
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. foot — a measure
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. wound — an injury
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. stem — to come from
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. squash — the sport
  24. fork — a garden 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