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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. lean — to bend
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. lean — thin
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. wake — a trail
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. craft — boats
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. craft — a skill
  24. calf — a young animal

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