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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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — what's left
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. squash — to crush
  7. mate — a friend
  8. mate — to breed
  9. mate — a partner
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. pound — a weight
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. squash — the sport
  18. foot — a measure
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. rest — a break
  24. pound — to hit hard

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