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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. squash — the sport
  5. wind — moving air
  6. mug — a face
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. tear — from crying
  9. mate — a friend
  10. mug — to rob
  11. squash — to crush
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. game — a match
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. tear — from crying
  17. tear — to rip
  18. mate — to breed
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. mate — a partner
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. game — wild animals
  23. mug — a cup
  24. wind — to turn a key

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