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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: foot · land · straw · ruler · bear · calf · toast · ground

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bear — the animal
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ground — a position
  5. land — a country
  6. foot — a measure
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. ground — the earth
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. bear — the animal
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. land — ground
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. land — to come down
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. ground — crushed
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. toast — bread

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