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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 bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. firm — a company
  8. bark — to shout
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. firm — decided
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. game — wild animals
  19. firm — steady
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. game — a match
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. snap — to click
  24. temple — side of the head

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