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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: ball · foot · dip · fall · calf · scale · swing · present

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. swing — to play on
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. foot — a measure
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. scale — in music
  8. present — there
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. present — the time now
  11. scale — size or range
  12. swing — music
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. dip — to sink
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. fall — to drop
  18. ball — a dance
  19. present — a gift
  20. ball — a great time
  21. fall — the season
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. swing — in golf
  24. fall — to drop

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