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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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. net — for catching
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. net — in sport
  6. swing — in golf
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. present — there
  10. swing — to play on
  11. swing — music
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. capital — money
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. current — happening now
  16. squash — the sport
  17. capital — a city
  18. present — a gift
  19. foot — a measure
  20. current — electric
  21. current — of water
  22. squash — to crush
  23. net — after costs
  24. present — the time now

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