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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. net — in sport
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. kid — child
  7. net — for catching
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. kid — to tease
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. plane — a tool
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. lean — thin
  14. sharp — clever
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. club — for golf
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. net — after costs
  19. club — for dancing
  20. club — a group
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. lean — to bend
  24. wave — with your hand

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