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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. tear — from crying
  3. tear — to rip
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. cue — a hint
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. present — the time now
  11. cue — a signal
  12. content — happy
  13. charge — electricity
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. cue — for pool
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. content — the amount
  20. present — there
  21. tear — from crying
  22. charge — a price
  23. charge — in control
  24. present — a gift

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