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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: last · calf · foot · pit · toast · pass · wave · safe

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. last — final
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. pass — a permit
  8. pit — a hole
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. last — to go on
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. pit — in a race
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. foot — a measure
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. toast — bread
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. last — finally

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