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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. mug — a face
  3. saw — the tool
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. bear — the animal
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. pass — a permit
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. dip — to sink
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. mug — a cup
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. mug — to rob
  23. bear — the animal
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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