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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. track — to keep track
  3. track — a song
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. branch — a division
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. track — a path
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. plane — a tool

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