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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 was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. mug — to rob
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. charge — a price
  10. firm — decided
  11. charge — in control
  12. firm — a company
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. mug — a cup
  15. firm — steady
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ball — a dance
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. bat — the animal
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. mug — a face
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. charge — electricity

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