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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. foot — a measure
  4. band — a ring
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. clip — to cut
  7. clip — a video
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. pit — in a race
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. rest — what's left
  14. clip — for paper
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. pit — a hole
  19. band — a music group
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. rest — a break
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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