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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. degree — an amount
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. drill — the tool
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. drill — army training
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. fork — in a road
  13. lean — to bend
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. lean — thin
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. drill — a practice
  21. degree — from a university
  22. degree — temperature
  23. foot — a measure
  24. fork — to eat with

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