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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 116 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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. mate — to breed
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. kick — in football
  9. mug — a cup
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. row — a line
  16. mate — a partner
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. row — to paddle
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. mug — to rob
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. mate — a friend
  24. sharp — clever

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