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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: bulb · lean · stick · foot · calf · coach · date · spell

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. spell — magic
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. lean — thin
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. spell — letters
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. spell — a short time
  12. bulb — for light
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. lean — to bend
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. foot — a measure
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bulb — for light
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. date — the fruit

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