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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · patient · mouse · calf · bark · file · bass · firm

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. firm — decided
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bass — low music
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. bark — to shout
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. firm — steady
  13. bass — the fish
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. foot — a measure
  18. firm — a company
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. file — a document
  23. file — a line of people
  24. file — a tool

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