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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. toast — bread
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. row — a line
  10. current — happening now
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. row — to paddle
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. current — electric
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. current — of water
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. deal — to handle
  24. jam — a tight spot

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