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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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. scale — in music
  3. wound — an injury
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. court — of a king
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. court — of law
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. court — for sport
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. scale — size or range
  14. saw — the tool
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. vault — a safe
  19. wound — an injury
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. saw — the tool
  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