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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 was locked up in a ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. stem — to come from
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. fine — high quality
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. fine — all right
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. squash — the sport
  18. cell — a phone
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. cell — in biology
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. squash — to crush
  23. ball — a dance
  24. ball — a great time

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