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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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bound — obliged
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. track — to keep track
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. lean — to bend
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bass — low music
  10. cue — a hint
  11. bound — certain
  12. cue — a signal
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. rash — hasty
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. track — a song
  17. bound — tied together
  18. cue — for pool
  19. lean — thin
  20. bass — the fish
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. foot — a measure
  23. track — a path
  24. bass — the instrument

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