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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. deal — to handle
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. perch — the fish
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. can — a tin
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. sharp — clever
  13. rest — what's left
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rest — a break
  18. ground — crushed
  19. can — to be able to
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. ground — the earth
  24. ground — a position

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