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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 116 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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. squash — the sport
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. cue — for pool
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. cue — a signal
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. wound — an injury
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. squash — to crush
  21. cue — a hint
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. wound — an injury
  24. straw — dry grass

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