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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. wind — moving air
  3. rest — what's left
  4. net — for catching
  5. rock — a stone
  6. net — in sport
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. rest — what's left
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. foot — a measure
  13. net — after costs
  14. rest — a break
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. root — the cause
  17. wind — moving air
  18. root — of a word
  19. rock — music
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. root — of a plant
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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