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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. race — humankind
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. staff — employees
  8. bank — of a river
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. staff — employees
  11. bank — for money
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. bank — for money
  14. tube — the underground
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. staff — a stick
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. race — the arms race
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. race — a contest
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. foot — a measure

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