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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 always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. date — the fruit
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. firm — a company
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. current — electric
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. current — of water
  16. current — happening now
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. mark — a grade
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. firm — decided
  21. wind — moving air
  22. firm — steady
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. wind — moving air

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