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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. track — a song
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. saw — the tool
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. saw — the tool
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. track — to keep track
  19. rush — hurry
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. track — a path
  24. pass — a permit

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