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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: clip · row · roll · wound · calf · firm · foot · bay

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. roll — a list
  4. row — to paddle
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. clip — a video
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. row — a line
  13. wound — an injury
  14. clip — to cut
  15. roll — a cake
  16. firm — decided
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. foot — a measure
  19. clip — for paper
  20. firm — a company
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. firm — steady
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. bay — a horse colour

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