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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. land — a country
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. land — ground
  11. bear — the animal
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. dip — to sink
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. toast — bread
  16. lean — thin
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. land — to come down
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. bear — the animal
  24. toast — the most admired

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