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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. rule — a law
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. rule — government
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bear — the animal
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. sharp — clever
  14. bear — the animal
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. calf — a young animal

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