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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fine — all right
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. cap — a lid
  7. bear — the animal
  8. present — a gift
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. cap — of ice
  11. rock — a stone
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. rock — music
  18. present — the time now
  19. cap — a hat
  20. bear — the animal
  21. sharp — clever
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. fine — high quality

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