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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. firm — steady
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. prune — to trim
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. squash — to crush
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. kick — in football
  9. firm — a company
  10. kid — to tease
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. pound — a weight
  15. kid — child
  16. firm — decided
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. prune — to trim
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. squash — the sport
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. kick — a thrill

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