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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 120 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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. fall — to drop
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. pass — a permit
  20. fall — the season
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. fall — to drop
  23. pitch — completely
  24. safe — out of danger

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