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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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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 · sharp · calf · squash · stick · key · patient · pit

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. key — the most important part
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. sharp — clever
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. squash — to crush
  11. key — in music
  12. foot — a measure
  13. pit — a hole
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. pit — in a race
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. squash — the sport
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. key — for a lock
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. foot — part of the body

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