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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. suit — in cards
  3. fine — high quality
  4. scale — in music
  5. tear — to rip
  6. shower — to wash
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. foot — a measure
  11. suit — to fit
  12. tear — from crying
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. suit — clothes
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. shower — rain
  20. scale — size or range
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. fine — all right
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. tear — from crying

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