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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. tube — the underground
  5. foot — a measure
  6. tube — a container
  7. march — the month
  8. pitch — completely
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. march — the month
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. saw — the tool
  20. band — a music group
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. march — music
  23. saw — the tool
  24. band — a ring

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