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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 · fine · firm · deal · calf · chest · kick · rush

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. fine — all right
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. rush — hurry
  6. firm — a company
  7. chest — of your body
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. firm — decided
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. chest — a box
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. deal — to handle
  17. chest — of your body
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. kick — in football
  20. foot — a measure
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. fine — high quality
  23. firm — steady
  24. calf — a young animal

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