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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: bark · leaves · deal · wound · foot · rash · calf · pit

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. deal — to handle
  4. rash — hasty
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. pit — in a race
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. wound — an injury
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. rash — a series
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. foot — a measure
  21. pit — a hole
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bark — to shout
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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