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

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. mug — a cup
  5. game — a match
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. charge — a price
  8. mug — a face
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. swing — music
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. swing — in golf
  14. game — wild animals
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. charge — in control
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. swing — to play on
  22. mug — to rob
  23. charge — electricity
  24. safe — out of danger

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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