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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. club — a group
  4. foot — a measure
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. pop — to visit
  8. present — the time now
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. pop — soda
  11. club — for golf
  12. club — for dancing
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. present — a gift
  15. mine — for digging
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. present — there
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. plane — a tool
  22. lie — to recline
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. lie — an untruth

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