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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. cap — a hat
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. hand — help
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. pop — soda
  8. cap — of ice
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. cap — a lid
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. pop — music
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. hand — in cards
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. pop — to visit
  22. pass — a permit
  23. wax — to grow
  24. pass — to spend time

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