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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. suit — clothes
  3. saw — the tool
  4. chest — a box
  5. suit — to fit
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. chest — of your body
  11. hand — help
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. object — a thing
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. object — an aim
  16. saw — the tool
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. chest — of your body
  19. suit — in cards
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. object — to protest

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