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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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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: swing · tear · object · plane · cap · calf · foot · bear

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. cap — of ice
  3. swing — music
  4. bear — the animal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. object — to protest
  8. object — a thing
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. swing — to play on
  12. swing — in golf
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. bear — the animal
  15. foot — a measure
  16. cap — a lid
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. object — an aim
  19. tear — from crying
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. plane — a tool
  22. cap — a hat
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. tear — to rip

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