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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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: rest · calf · leaves · can · tube · wind · ball · foot

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. can — a tin
  4. ball — a dance
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. ball — a great time
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. rest — a break
  12. tube — a container
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. can — to be able to
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. tube — the underground
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — what's left
  21. wind — moving air
  22. can — a tin
  23. foot — a measure
  24. wind — moving air

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