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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. club — for dancing
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bore — to drill
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. bore — to tire
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. club — for golf
  20. lie — to recline
  21. stem — to come from
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. club — a group
  24. mouse — for a computer

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