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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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. cell — a phone
  3. foot — a measure
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. object — an aim
  7. swing — in golf
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. march — the month
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bulb — for light
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. object — a thing
  14. march — the month
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. swing — music
  17. object — to protest
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. deal — to handle
  20. cell — in biology
  21. march — music
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. bulb — for light
  24. swing — to play on

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