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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
468
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: foot · dip · lean · calf · club · mark · drill · saw

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. drill — the tool
  3. lean — thin
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. drill — a practice
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. club — for dancing
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — the tool
  14. drill — army training
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mark — a grade
  18. dip — to sink
  19. lean — to bend
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. foot — a measure
  23. club — for golf
  24. lean — to rest against

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