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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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  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. straw — dry grass
  2. firm — a company
  3. craft — a skill
  4. kick — in football
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. firm — decided
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. craft — boats
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. firm — steady
  14. date — the fruit
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. ball — a dance
  23. ball — a great time
  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