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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. swing — to play on
  5. bound — obliged
  6. object — an aim
  7. court — of a king
  8. court — for sport
  9. plane — a tool
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. object — to protest
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. swing — in golf
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. object — a thing
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. swing — music
  19. court — of law
  20. bound — certain
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. bound — tied together

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