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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. wind — moving air
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. rest — a break
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bulb — for light
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. bat — the animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. pitch — completely
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rest — what's left
  23. wind — moving air
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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