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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. saw — the tool
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. kick — in football
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. saw — the tool
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. ruler — for measuring

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