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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: foot · deal · lean · present · mouse · calf · ground · file

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. lean — thin
  3. ground — crushed
  4. deal — to handle
  5. file — a tool
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. present — there
  9. file — a document
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. present — a gift
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. present — the time now
  16. foot — a measure
  17. lean — to bend
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. file — a line of people
  21. ground — a position
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. foot — the bottom

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