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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: calf · rest · bay · bulb · stand · foot · kid · capital

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. foot — a measure
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bulb — for light
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. rest — what's left
  10. capital — money
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. kid — child
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. kid — to tease
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bulb — for light
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. rest — a break
  20. rest — what's left
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. stand — to bear
  23. capital — a city
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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