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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. hand — help
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. object — a thing
  8. fork — in a road
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. season — in sport
  13. object — to protest
  14. season — of the year
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. object — an aim
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. branch — a division
  24. hand — in cards

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