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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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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 · nail · object · firm · chair · track · pitcher · calf

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. track — a song
  3. object — to protest
  4. track — to keep track
  5. foot — a measure
  6. firm — a company
  7. chair — a leader
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. object — a thing
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. object — an aim
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. firm — decided
  21. firm — steady
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. track — a path
  24. nail — for a hammer

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