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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. key — in music
  7. kick — in football
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. key — for a lock
  12. can — to be able to
  13. key — the most important part
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — a tin
  18. straw — a straw man

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