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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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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: kid · calf · pit · jam · pop · lean · cue · foot

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. pit — in a race
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. pit — a hole
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. lean — thin
  8. lean — to bend
  9. kid — to tease
  10. foot — a measure
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. cue — a hint
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pop — soda
  17. cue — for pool
  18. kid — child
  19. cue — a signal
  20. pop — to visit
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. pop — music
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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