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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
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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: mark · lie · straw · scale · calf · jam · foot · field

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. mark — a trace
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. lie — to recline
  10. field — for sport
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. scale — size or range
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. field — a subject
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. scale — in music
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. foot — a measure
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. field — farmland

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