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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. mug — to rob
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. lie — to recline
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. mug — a cup
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. season — in sport
  9. spell — letters
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. season — of the year
  12. march — the month
  13. spell — magic
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. spell — a short time
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. march — the month
  19. foot — a measure
  20. mug — a face
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. march — music

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